This interactive skill-building seminar introduces a virtual reality (VR)-based learning experience designed to strengthen leadership and communication skills among interprofessional rapid response teams. Developed through a collaboration between education, internal medicine, critical care, nursing, enterprise rapid response teams, and simulation, our model offers a practical and replicable framework for improving interprofessional collaboration in time-pressured clinical contexts.

In this seminar, participants will explore a virtual scenario involving a deteriorating patient and analyze team dynamics through structured debriefs anchored in behavioral rubrics. The immersive VR environment creates a unique opportunity to examine leadership competencies, such as advocating for patient safety, initiating closed-loop communication, and engaging in shared decision-making, in the absence of non-verbal cues.
Facilitators will walk participants through implementation components such as learner orientation, scenario facilitation, rubric development, and structured observation. Reflections and lessons from our pilot sessions, including the observed link between psychological engagement during the VR ‘sandbox’ and the level of communication quality, will be shared to illustrate how immersive technologies can support interprofessional collaboration and relationship building.

This seminar directly addresses Nexus Summit themes by advancing interprofessional collaboration through innovative, technology-enhanced education that transforms clinical learning environments. The session also highlights psychological safety as a key element of team communication and was piloted with residents and nurses as co-learners.

Participants will leave with practical tools, including customizable behavioral rubrics, implementation guidance, and facilitation tips that can be directly applied to enhance interprofessional learning and team performance in their institutions.

Session Objectives:

1. Identify virtual reality strategies that promote interprofessional leadership and communication competencies.
2. Evaluate the strengths and limitations of assessing team behaviors in immersive environments.
3. Adapt our VR experience model to fit different institutional or training contexts.

Active Learning Strategies:

Participants will engage in breakout discussions using sample rubrics and real debrief data, contribute to collaborative whiteboards to co-design simulation adaptations, and reflect on implementation challenges using structured chat prompts. These strategies are designed to be inclusive and flexible for virtual attendees with varying levels of participation availability.

Accreditation Details

In support of improving patient care, this activity is planned and implemented by The National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education Office of Interprofessional Continuing Professional Development (National Center OICPD). The National Center OICPD is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

As a Jointly Accredited Provider, the National Center is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. The National Center maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive continuing education credits.

The National Center OICPD (JA#: 4008105) is approved by the Board of Certification, Inc. to provide continuing education to Athletic Trainers (ATs).

This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change.

Text reads "Office of Interprofessional Continuing Professional Development" and shown are logos for the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education,
the University of Minnesota School of Nursing, and the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy.

Physicians: The National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education designates this live activity for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with their participation.

Physician Assistants: The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME.

Nurses: Participants will be awarded contact hours of credit for attendance at this workshop.

Nurse Practitioners: The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME and ANCC.

Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians: This activity is approved for contact hours.

Athletic Trainers: This program is eligible for Category A hours/CEUs. ATs should claim only those hours actually spent in the educational program.

Social Workers: As a Jointly Accredited Organization, the National Center is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. The National Center maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive continuing education credits.

IPCE: This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credits for learning and change.

Learners can claim CE credit by completing the Daily Evaluation.