CHCS - Perspectives Summer/Fall 2017

6 Nova Southeastern University Interprofessional Education and Practice continued It began in 2012 as an initiative involving the professions within the CHCS. Today, the following professions have faculty members and students actively participating: athletic training, dental medicine, medical sonography, nursing, nutrition, occupational therapy, optometry, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, public health, and speech-language pathology. Each year, approximately 12 faculty members and 65 students work together throughout the academic year on interprofessional teams. Each team is assigned a topic. For example, one might focus primarily on diabetes and nutrition, whereas another might focus on diabetes and exercise. Currently, there are 16 community partners that sign up for a series of diabetes education sessions hosted at their sites at times convenient to their clients or the popula- tions they serve. Community partners include the Urban League, Walgreens, YMCA Humana, the Boys & Girls Clubs, Memorial Health, faith-based organizations, local municipalities, and other nonprofit organizations. Annually, the teams serve approximately 800 individuals in the community. According to the participant surveys, 96 percent say they will use the information to help manage or prevent their diabetes, and 98 percent reported that the information was valuable. At the end of each year, the leadership team holds focus groups with the students and faculty members to gain insight about their learning, experience, and recommendations for improvement. The team has recently published its findings and plans to continue to publish and seek grants. The Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.) Program in Tampa has created an interprofessional education and practice experience that engages physical therapy and speech- language pathology students alongside faculty members from physical therapy, speech-language pathology, and occupational therapy. (See story on page 37.) Sonia Kay, Ph.D., OTR/L, associate professor; Melissa Tovin, Ph.D., PT, associate professor; and Carole Zangari, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, associate professor, have created a pediatric interprofessional experience with physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology students. According to Kay, Tovin, and Zangari, their initiative is designed to introduce students to the importance of collaboration among pediatric therapists to provide integrated, family-centered care that maximizes patient outcomes. During the experience, students work together to develop goals that span the disciplines and are specific to the patient’s overall needs. Each team develops a group presentation on its case and receives feedback from peers and faculty members. The CHCS has led the way in providing an interprofessional practice experience that has attracted other colleges across the university and has been called one of the only initiatives of its kind by both the American Diabetes Association and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. The Interpro- fessional Diabetes Education and Awareness (IDEA) Initiative is designed to leverage the diverse health care knowledge and skills of NSU faculty members and students to address the diabetes epidemic in Broward County. In 2015, the Broward County Quality of Life Council awarded a team of 12 faculty members the Quality of Life Grant.