Other Titles
Human Trafficking Simulation Used as an Educational Tool for Developing Interprofessional Competencies [Poster Title]
Abstract
Introduction: This research is in response to the human trafficking (HT) crisis. HT affects an estimated 30 million people worldwide. Nurses are one of the few constant contacts within the hospital for these isolated victims. HT patients may feel protected under the trusted care of nurses (Morris, 2023). Raker (2023) found that “academic nursing programs represent an ideal environment to deliver human trafficking training to future graduate nurses.” The limited instruction for students led us to create an HT simulation that is being taught in a senior level nursing course.
The purpose of this research is to address the growing issue of HT. The utilization of simulations within a nursing program offers an effective tool to build students' confidence and promote interprofessional collaboration.
Methods: The HT simulation utilized a standardized patient for both the trafficker and victim roles. Nursing and social work students collaborated within their future perspective roles as they assess and identify the HT patient. Prior the simulation, both student groups received pre-learning materials. A review of objectives, a prebrief and debrief with all participants was provided by faculty.
A Qualtrics survey evaluating the interprofessional education experience was provided. The survey method used was an anonymous mixed method post-pre survey administered to nursing students and social work students. The survey included 24 Likert-style and two open-ended questions revised from the Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey and Simulation Effectiveness Tool - Modified (SET-M). The data collected included demographic information and students’ self-reflection of the IPE experience. All students surveyed were undergraduates from a liberal arts university.
Results: The study consisted of 44 students (N=44), of which, 86% were female and 14% were male. All Likert-style questions showed statistical significance of < 0.001. Our findings confirmed the students had an increase in confidence with assessments (89%) and with interprofessional collaboration (86%).
Conclusion: As nurses, we must be continual learners and reflect and respond to the needs our community. Educating nursing students to identify assessment findings associated with victims will increase their competency to recognize possible trafficked patients (Raker, 2020). The research supported interprofessional simulation as an effective educational tool to prepare future health professionals.
Notes
References:
Leighton, K., Ravert, P., Mudra, V., & Macintosh, C. (2015). Update the simulation effectiveness tool: Item modifications and reevaluation of psychometric properties. Nursing Education Perspectives, 36(5), 317-323. Doi: 10.5480/1 5-1671.
Morris, G. (2023). How nurses can recognize and report human trafficking. Nurse Journal. https://nursejournal.org/articles/how-nurses-
recognize-and-report-human-trafficking/.
Raker, K.A. (2020). Human trafficking education: A guide for nurse educators. Journal of Professional Nursing, 36(2020), 692- 697.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2020.09.015.
Raker, K. A. (2023). An examination of nurse educators’ knowledge, attitudes, instructional beliefs, and instructional practices of human trafficking. Journal of Professional Nursing, 47(2023), 35-45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2023.04.002.
Schmitz, C.C., Radosevich, D. M., Jadine, P., MacDonald, C.J., Trumpower, D., Archibald, D., (2017). The interprofessional collaborative competency attainment survey (ICCAS): A replication validation study. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 31(5), 28-34. https://doi.org/10.1080/13561820.2016.1233096.
Sigma Membership
Omega
Type
Poster
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Mixed/Multi Method Research
Keywords:
Interprofessional Initiatives, Competence, Simulation, Clinical Practice, Health Promotion, Human Trafficking
Recommended Citation
Irwin, Kerri Anne and Caskey, Kelly D., "Human Trafficking Simulation: Educational Tool for Developing Interprofessional Competencies" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 46.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/posters_2025/46
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-12-02
Human Trafficking Simulation: Educational Tool for Developing Interprofessional Competencies
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Introduction: This research is in response to the human trafficking (HT) crisis. HT affects an estimated 30 million people worldwide. Nurses are one of the few constant contacts within the hospital for these isolated victims. HT patients may feel protected under the trusted care of nurses (Morris, 2023). Raker (2023) found that “academic nursing programs represent an ideal environment to deliver human trafficking training to future graduate nurses.” The limited instruction for students led us to create an HT simulation that is being taught in a senior level nursing course.
The purpose of this research is to address the growing issue of HT. The utilization of simulations within a nursing program offers an effective tool to build students' confidence and promote interprofessional collaboration.
Methods: The HT simulation utilized a standardized patient for both the trafficker and victim roles. Nursing and social work students collaborated within their future perspective roles as they assess and identify the HT patient. Prior the simulation, both student groups received pre-learning materials. A review of objectives, a prebrief and debrief with all participants was provided by faculty.
A Qualtrics survey evaluating the interprofessional education experience was provided. The survey method used was an anonymous mixed method post-pre survey administered to nursing students and social work students. The survey included 24 Likert-style and two open-ended questions revised from the Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey and Simulation Effectiveness Tool - Modified (SET-M). The data collected included demographic information and students’ self-reflection of the IPE experience. All students surveyed were undergraduates from a liberal arts university.
Results: The study consisted of 44 students (N=44), of which, 86% were female and 14% were male. All Likert-style questions showed statistical significance of < 0.001. Our findings confirmed the students had an increase in confidence with assessments (89%) and with interprofessional collaboration (86%).
Conclusion: As nurses, we must be continual learners and reflect and respond to the needs our community. Educating nursing students to identify assessment findings associated with victims will increase their competency to recognize possible trafficked patients (Raker, 2020). The research supported interprofessional simulation as an effective educational tool to prepare future health professionals.
Description
As the most trusted profession, nurses have a responsibility to play a role in a global health crisis known as human trafficking. Equally, nurse educators, must be committed in preparing students to protect these vulnerable individuals. In order to combat this issue, we must provide training in undergraduate nursing programs. Simulations have been found to be an effective tool to develop competent future health professionals. Education is the key to driving change in trafficking!