Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education
at Washington University Medical Campus

Tips for incorporating IPE in the clinical environment

The Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education at Washington University Medical Campus publishes a quarterly newsletter to share updates and professional development opportunities. For questions or to join our mailing list, contact the center!

How learners can be helpful in a clinical setting:

Clinical Activities

  1. Assisting with documentation in the EHR (EPIC or other): 
               Reconcile meds, problem list
               Document Past Medical/ Surgical history, Family history, Social history, Review of Systems
               After Visit Summary
  1. Obtain Vital Signs
  2. Administer and review screening forms (depression, asthma, developmental milestones in children, etc) with patient/ caregivers
  3. Review logs (blood glucose in diabetic patients, blood pressures in hypertensive patients, etc) with patient/ caregivers  
  4. Assess risk factors (smoking, diet, exercise, etc)
  5. Communicate with additional providers regarding patient updates or gathering further information (including teachers, other health professionals, other community resources, etc)
  6. Identify and contact patients who would benefit from care (visits, immunizations, screenings, etc)
  7. Perform phone follow-ups or check-ins (inform patients of results and/or obtain information from them such as BPs, glucose, etc)

Patient Education

  1. Provide cessation education or other guidance
  2. Review discharge/ After Visit Summary/ educational material with patient/ caregivers
  3. Provide anticipatory guidance
  4. Provide nutrition education (portion sizes, label interpretation, understanding nutrition recommendations, etc)
  5. Identify community resources/ support groups/ etc

Procedures

  1. Perform some parts of exam and screenings (diabetic foot exam, etc)
  2. Draw blood
  3. Administer immunizations and/or other medications
  4. Assist with procedures

Assisting with Clinic Flow

  1. Assist with office QI projects
  2. Review literature or guidelines for updated recommendations
  3. Greet patient in waiting area/ accompany to room/ accompany to subsequent stop (lab, radiology, waiting area, etc)
  4. Assist with scheduling of subsequent visits (esp to maintain continuity of provider)

News