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The ɫ�ش�ý University Direct Observation and Interprofessional Clinic recently treated its 1,000th patient! ɫ�ش�ý University schools of nursing and medicine faculty members and students care for patients in this after-hours clinic, which is open four days a week from 5 to 9 p.m.

Launched in 2015, the clinic provides urgent care services to patients from the ɫ�ش�ý University Hospital emergency room who present with less acute symptoms and provides students with an opportunity to provide patient care while being observed by faculty members.

“Nursing and health professions students are paired with faculty to care for patients,” said Blanca “Iris” Padilla, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC, assistant professor for ɫ�ش�ý (DUSON). “Working in a collaborative environment is necessary for today’s students, especially with the increased need of a holistic approach to patient care.”

As the health care needs of patients with multiple chronic conditions increase, health care professionals from differing disciplines collaborate to improve health outcomes for patients. There is growing recognition that interprofessional collaboration improves communication and leads to better health care delivery and patient outcomes.

While interdisciplinary collaborations aren’t new to education, especially at ɫ�ش�ý, when the clinic opened more than a year ago, , vice dean for Education at the School of Medicine and one of the clinic founders, said he wasn’t aware of any other school in the country being able to successfully launch a similar education-focused clinic.

“This clinic has been vital in placing the learner at the center of the mix of providing exceptional patient care while allowing students from various programs such as nursing and medicine to work together side by side,” he said. When the clinic first started, only nurse practitioner and medical students attended the clinic. Now the clinic is open to students in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) degree program as well as physician assistant and physical therapy students who can work for clinical rotation credit.

As the clinic continues to care for patients from ɫ�ش�ý’s emergency room, Padilla and Buckley hope to continue its growth by allowing other health professions such as social work to join the interdisciplinary mix.

The Interprofessional Clinic is also a representative on the ɫ�ش�ý Health strategic plan by Chancellor A. Eugene Washington. The plan would increase interprofessional education, research and practice at ɫ�ش�ý Health. More than 30 faculty representing the ɫ�ش�ý University Schools of Nursing and Medicine, convened by Marion E. Broome, PhD, RN, FAAN, Ruby Wilson Professor of Nursing and dean for DUSON, vice chancellor for Nursing Affairs for ɫ�ش�ý University, and associate vice president for Academic Affairs for Nursing for ɫ�ش�ý University Health System, developed a plan that articulated a vision for the interprofessional education. A vision for health science education programs to collectively, creatively and effectively educate the next generation of health sciences leaders to translate their knowledge into public benefit around the world.

Congratulations to the schools of nursing and medicine faculty and students for reaching this milestone!