CHCS Perspectives Winter 2014

PERSPECTIVES • WINTER 2014 – Page 12 The IDEA Initiative In the fall of 2012, nine faculty members and 45 students from the College of Health Care Sciences participated in the pilot pro- gram. The college was the first to lead the Live Empowered Dia- betes Education Initiative in Broward County and one of the first in the nation to lead the trainings. Overall, the teams educated ap- proximately 170 individuals in Broward County. This initiative was one of the broadest interprofessional, student, and faculty-led com- munity education initiatives at NSU. At the end of 2012, faculty and student teams did a SOAR analysis of the project. The goal of the collaborative research ap- proach was to build from the strengths and successes and identify opportunities for improvement. Based on the analysis, the leader- ship team implemented adjustments to the recruiting methods, structures, and processes. These next-level iterations were designed to capitalize on the innovative potential of self-organizing teams while providing a structured framework that will guide and facili- tate high-impact outcomes. On October 24, 2013, faculty members and students from 10 colleges and programs participated in the 2013 IDEA Initiative Kickoff. Participants learned about the initiative’s history, mission, vision, and strategy. Dawn Seay, executive director of the Ameri- can Diabetes Association in Broward County, shared the challenges and opportunities related to diabetes in Broward County and why the IDEA Initiative is so important. Participants also completed the Gallup StrengthsFinder assessment and shared with their teams their results regarding how they can best contribute. Teams also transcended their individual professional identities by creating a team name and logo, thereby providing an interprofessional iden- tity based on their collective strengths and role in the initiative. Fi- nally, participants agreed on clear roles and responsibilities, with each individual selecting a role based on his or her strengths. The IDEA Initiative leadership team is committed to creating a culture of continuous learning and development. Each week, all participants receive an email entitled “Weekly Words of Wisdom.” Article topics have ranged from interprofessional competencies and diabetes and culture to qualities of effective teams and collabora- tive health care leadership. Faculty team leaders are then asked to facilitate discussion of the articles during their meetings with their teams. The IDEA Initiative assessment team will be looking at the outcomes of the project with regard to interprofessional education and practice. Beginning in January 2014, diabetes workshops are being held at NSU’s main campus in Fort Lauderdale as well as at local com- munity sites throughout Broward County. Workshop topics include diabetes and medication management, diabetes and youth, dia- betes and healthy eating, diabetes and exercise, diabetes and eye health, as well as a general overview of diabetes. More information on workshop dates can be found at www.nova.edu/CHCS/IDEA . Interprofessional Education Overview In addition to addressing Florida’s diabetes epidemic, the IDEA Initiative is designed to promote the global health care movement toward interprofessional education and practice. For decades, health care professionals have worked within a challenging and fragmented system. As sweeping health care reform and market forces transform the way health care is delivered and managed, profound cultural and structural shifts are emerging, and new al- liances and partnerships are developing. Rapid innovation and adaption to change require a more interdependent and collabora- tive approach that moves away from an individual expert model of health care delivery toward one that spans professions, functions, levels, and generations. According to the Core Competencies for Interprofessional Col- laborative Practice, there are four general competencies. These in- clude values and ethics for interprofessional practice, roles and responsibilities, interprofessional communication, and teams and teamwork. The general competencies have 8 to 10 specific objec- tives that specify specific actions that demonstrate the competency. The IDEA Initiative leadership team has been intentional about integrating each of these competencies into the DNA of the ini- tiative. Additionally, each team will select one of the objectives for each competency to integrate into their workshop development and facilitation process. Community Engagement Through Partnerships The National Diabetes Prevention Program recommends a col- laborative approach and points to the importance of partnerships between health care professionals, academia, employers, commu- nity-based organizations, insurers, federal agencies, and other stakeholders. As diabetes-related health care costs rise along with the rapid increase in the number of adults and children with di- abetes, it is important that the capacity of the entire system be fully leveraged. NSU will partner for the second year with the American Diabetes Association. This year, the leaders are planning to expand the scope to include Walgreens, CVS, Humana, United Home Health, Tri- Rail, Norvo Nordisk, the NSU clinics, and NSU Human Resources as well as local schools and community organizations such as the Urban League. NSU is committed to becoming a leader in serving the health care needs of Broward County. The IDEA Initiative is one way the university is building partnerships to address one of Florida’s most pressing health care needs while preparing the next generation of health care professionals to thrive in an increasingly interprofessional, collaborative health care system. “With an unwavering commitment to ethical practice and in support of the NSU core values, the college endeavors to advance research, scholarship, and the development of leadership skills utilizing traditional educational methods, distance learning, and innovative combinations of both to achieve its educational goals.”