Exploring Interprofessional Collaboration: Insights from Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and Respiratory Therapy Students on Communication, Teamwork, and Patient Care

This poster presents a qualitative educational initiative that explored how structured interprofessional collaboration between Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) and Respiratory Therapy (RT) students enhances communication, teamwork, and collaborative care planning. Implemented within a graduate-level acute care course and a senior-level RT course, the initiative involved independent case analysis, a virtual interdisciplinary team meeting, joint care plan development, and reflective writing. Student reflections served as the primary data source, capturing insights into role clarity, team dynamics, and readiness for interprofessional practice.

Aligned with the Nexus Summit theme, Preparing Students for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice, the project simulates real-world, high-acuity teamwork in a virtual setting. Through shared decision-making and role delineation, students collaboratively managed a simulated patient experiencing acute respiratory distress. This structure mimics the fast-paced, team-based environments of acute care, fostering experiential learning that supports workforce readiness.

Key findings from student reflections will be presented, illustrating enhanced communication skills, improved understanding of scopes of practice, and strengthened mutual respect between disciplines. Students also reported increased confidence in articulating their professional roles and applying team-based problem-solving and conflict resolution strategies.

This interprofessional learning activity addresses Nexus goals by integrating core competencies—values/ethics, roles/responsibilities, communication, and teamwork—and supports the Quadruple Aim, particularly improved care delivery and provider experience. The project also demonstrates potential for sustainable academic-practice partnerships.