Students from many fields learn older patients’ needs

More than 800 health professions students from North Texas universities learned to enhance older patients’ safety through better communication during two days of activities at the UNT Health Science Center in Fort Worth.

Although the event had been planned for months, it was especially timely, said David Farmer, PhD, Director of Interprofessional Education at UNTHSC.

"A crisis such as the Ebola infections in Dallas emphasizes the criticality of communication," he said.

For Anthony Nguyen, a first-year pharmacy student, the UNTHSC exercise was a first.

"My education so far hadn’t teamed me up with people pursuing careers in other health care fields," said Nguyen, who is pursuing a PharmD degree in the UNT System College of Pharmacy on the UNTHSC campus. "It’s good to learn to talk to each other."

In one of several sessions, students worked in interprofessional groups of eight to 10 that included pharmacy, medicine, public health, physician assistant studies and physical therapy from UNTHSC; nursing from the TCU Harris College of Nursing; and dietetics from Texas Woman’s University. The groups rotated through stations where they worked hands-on with such geriatric issues as falls risks, cognitive impairment, multiple medications and functional impairments such as arthritis, deafness and vision problems.

Donning awkward work gloves, Vaseline-smeared eyeglasses and earplugs to simulate old-age limitations, the students attempted to button a shirt, read a prescription label and load a weekly pill dispenser.

"You really learn what it’s like when you have to do it," said Ayeshi Irani, a first-year student in the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Discussing actions to take in specific situations, such as when a patient mentions a medication error, Martha Rew, TWU Dietetic Internship Director, emphasized that a dietitian should share the information with every member of the patient’s health care team – nurse, physician and others.

Other sessions also involved TCU students of social work, athletic training and speech language pathology.

Communication among health care providers in various fields is crucial to preventing medical mistakes and improving patient safety. That’s why UNTHSC is partnering with other universities and community organizations to provide extraordinary interprofessional education.   

Recent News

Ashenafi 768x768
  • Our People
|Sep 20, 2023

Dr. Ashenafi Cherkos awarded prestigious AIM-AHEAD Fellowship in Leadership

Dr. Ashenafi Cherkos, assistant professor at The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, has been awarded the prestigious AIM-AHEAD Fellowship in Leadership for the Fall 2023 cohort. Cherkos serves in the School of Public Health’s Department of Population and Community Healt...
Djperera
  • On Campus
|Sep 20, 2023

Innovate Fort Worth podcast: DJ Perera of New Age Media New Age Learning program

Innovate Fort Worth, the local podcast showcasing local innovation and its dynamic creators, recently featured DJ Perera, a trailblazing artist and educator. Hosted by Cameron Cushman of The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, the podcast episode delves into the intersecti...
Darlene Watkins
  • On Campus
|Sep 20, 2023

HSC student advocates for falls prevention awareness in Tarrant County

Darlene Watkins has dedicated her life to creating healthier and sustainable communities. Her background in interdisciplinary design led her to work with various community organizations from Atlanta to California, but it was her passion for educating aging populations that fueled her desire to wo...
Glenn Forister
  • On Campus
|Sep 19, 2023

HSC’s School of Health Professions to host Health Professions Workforce Symposium

Modern medicine is a team sport, and roughly 60% of that team is composed of practitioners who exist outside of the doctor-nurse paradigm. These vital pillars make up the backbone of the $3 trillion health care sector, and they’re among the fastest-growing professions in the world. From 5 to 8 p....