“Whose Patient is it Anyway?”: Using Standardized Patients to Simulate the High Stakes of Interprofessional Conflict and De-escalation

Interprofessional conflict is a persistent challenge in healthcare, often stemming from communication breakdowns, unclear roles, and unspoken hierarchies. These issues can compromise patient safety, erode trust, and diminish team effectiveness. This seminar explores simulation as a high-impact educational strategy to surface and de-escalate these tensions. Participants will engage with “Whose Patient Is It Anyway?”—a standardized patient (SP) simulation involving a complex hospital discharge scenario that escalates due to miscommunication and power dynamics within the interprofessional team.

Aligned with the Nexus Summit theme of “Interprofessional Collaboration and Advocacy to Advance the Health of Individuals, Families, and Communities,” this session focuses on equipping educators and clinicians with practical, equity-centered strategies to improve collaboration through communication. By addressing how interprofessional teams navigate conflict under pressure, this seminar promotes skills that directly enhance the quality and safety of care.

The session includes immediately applicable resources and guidance on scenario scripting, SP training, faculty debriefing strategies, and assessment tools (e.g., learner reflection prompts, SP behavior checklists). Participants will leave with actionable strategies to integrate conflict de-escalation into interprofessional curricula at their own institutions.

Active learning strategies will include structured video analysis, anonymous polling, collaborative reflection using a shared Jamboard, and role-based response planning. Rather than relying solely on breakout rooms, this format ensures that all attendees—regardless of environment—can engage in meaningful, accessible participation.

This seminar meets Nexus Summit priority criteria by fostering skill-building for interprofessional teamwork, reinforcing psychological safety, and promoting equitable team dynamics through experiential learning. It contributes directly to improving collaborative practice that benefits individuals, families, and communities.

Learning Objectives:
• After attending this session, the learner will be able to identify root causes of interprofessional conflict in clinical settings.
• After attending this session, the learner will be able to apply de-escalation strategies (e.g., CUS, TeamSTEPPS) in interprofessional simulations.
• After attending this session, the learner will be able to facilitate equity-centered debriefs that address team communication and hidden curricula.