Can DVD simulations be used to promote empathic behaviours and interprofessional collaboration among undergraduate healthcare students?

Empathy is a vital characteristic for all health professionals. However, it is also a difficult behavioural trait and professional skill set to teach and assess; as a result it is often a neglected component of health science curriculum.  This project has two aims:
i) to develop a toolkit that includes a range of interprofessional empathy DVD simulations and workshop resources, and
ii) to evaluate the toolkit through exploring empathic behaviours and interprofessional levels pre- and post-involvement in a DVD simulation workshop.

The nature of the project will also allow for comparisons and differences between the health science disciplines and institutions.  The findings will inform curriculum development in each of the disciplines, as well as facilitate the development of empathic behaviours and interprofessional collaboration in the health sciences students involved. In addition the toolkit will be available to other universities to embed in their curriculum.

Project Team

• Brett Williams, Department/Faculty: Department of Community Emergency Health and Paramedic Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University. 
• Assoc Professor Ted Brown, Department/Faculty: Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University. 
• Assoc Professor Lisa McKenna, Department/Faculty: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University. 
• Dr Malcolm Boyle, Department/Faculty: Department of Community Emergency Health and Paramedic Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University. 
• Dr Claire Palermo, Department/Faculty: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University. 
• Dr Elizabeth Molloy, Department/Faculty: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University. 
• Professor Debra Nestel, Department/Faculty: Gippsland Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University. 
• Jonathon McConnell, Department/Faculty: Department of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University. 
• Jill French, Department/Faculty: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University. 
• Assoc Professor Louise McCall, Department/Faculty: Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University. 
• Assoc Professor Karen Stagnitti, Department/Faculty: School of Health and Social Development, Faculty of Health, Nursing And Behavioural Sciences, Deakin University. 
• Susan Gilbert-Hunt, Department/Faculty: Division of Health Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia.
• Assoc Professor Richard Brightwell, Department/Faculty: Paramedical Sciences, Faculty of Computing, Health and Science, Edith Cowan University.
  

Project Contact

Brett Williams