Abstract
Background: Mental health is the leading cause of pregnancy-related mortality in the United States.1 Both psychiatric and midwifery providers often lack confidence in managing mental health disorders in perinatal patients and may also lack experience in interprofessional collaboration, a key domain of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s Essentials.2 We are not aware of any existing programs that use interprofessional education to address perinatal mental health.
Purpose: The purpose of this project was to assess the feasibility of a post-partum depression simulation with psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP), women's health/gender-related health nurse practitioner (WHGRNP), and nurse- midwifery (NM) students.
Methods: After reviewing best practices for interprofessional simulation,3-6 this project included didactic lecture and simulation components. PMHNP, WHGRNP, and NM students received a lecture on assessment and management of peripartum mental health disorders. Together, students participated in a post-partum depression simulation featuring interdisciplinary consultation and collaborative treatment planning. Students then completed a semi-structured reflection on their experience with the simulation and interdisciplinary communication.
Results: The first cohort of 44 students completed the interdisciplinary education program in spring 2023. Qualitative feedback was overwhelming positive, with students from all programs reporting an increased knowledge of and appreciation for their colleagues’ role in managing post-partum depression. They also reported increased comfort in interdisciplinary communication. Students from all programs felt that the presented patient scenario was realistic and expressed a desire for more collaboration between psychiatric providers and midwives.
Implications: Interdisciplinary post-partum depression simulation is feasible for nurse practitioner students in psychiatry and midwifery, with resources of time and space continuing to be the biggest barriers to expanding interdisciplinary simulation. Incorporating feedback from the 2023 cohort, faculty plan to conduct a quasi-experimental study using a pre-posttest design to assess students’ knowledge and attitudes toward interdisciplinary collaboration and impact of interdisciplinary simulation on management of post-partum depression. Interdisciplinary
education can improve quality of and access to care for birthing people with mental health disorders.
Notes
References:
1. Centers for Disease Control. Pregnancy-related deaths: Data from maternal mortality review committees in 38 u.S. States, 2020. 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/maternal-mortality/php/data-research/index.html
2. American Association of Colleges of Nursing. The essentials: Core competencies for professional nursing education. 2021. https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/0/PDFs/Publications/Essentials-2021.pdf
3. Bogossian F, New K, George K, et al. The implementation of interprofessional education: A scoping review. Adv Health Sci Educ Theory Pract. Mar 2023;28(1):243-277. doi:10.1007/s10459-022-10128-4
4. Marion-Martins AD, Pinho DLM. Interprofessional simulation effects for healthcare students: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nurse Educ Today. Nov 2020;94:104568. doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2020.104568
5. O'Shea M-C, Palermo C, Rogers GD, et al. Key design characteristics of interprofessional simulation-based learning experiences as rated by allied health and nursing students. Clinical simulation in nursing. 2021;50:55-64. doi:10.1016/j.ecns.2020.10.004
6. Sezgin MG, Bektas H. Effectiveness of interprofessional simulation-based education programs to improve teamwork and communication for students in the healthcare profession: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nurse Educ Today. Jan 2023;120:105619. doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2022.105619
Sigma Membership
Xi
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Interprofessional, Interdisciplinary, Interprofessional Initiatives, Simulation, Mental Health, Pregnancy-related Mortalities
Recommended Citation
Siegel, Marissa DeCesaris; Howe-Heyman, Abigail; and Schatz, Joseph, "Interdisciplinary Simulation with Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner and Midwifery Students" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 103.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/presentations_2025/103
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, 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.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Interdisciplinary Simulation with Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner and Midwifery Students
Seattle, Washington, USA
Background: Mental health is the leading cause of pregnancy-related mortality in the United States.1 Both psychiatric and midwifery providers often lack confidence in managing mental health disorders in perinatal patients and may also lack experience in interprofessional collaboration, a key domain of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s Essentials.2 We are not aware of any existing programs that use interprofessional education to address perinatal mental health.
Purpose: The purpose of this project was to assess the feasibility of a post-partum depression simulation with psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP), women's health/gender-related health nurse practitioner (WHGRNP), and nurse- midwifery (NM) students.
Methods: After reviewing best practices for interprofessional simulation,3-6 this project included didactic lecture and simulation components. PMHNP, WHGRNP, and NM students received a lecture on assessment and management of peripartum mental health disorders. Together, students participated in a post-partum depression simulation featuring interdisciplinary consultation and collaborative treatment planning. Students then completed a semi-structured reflection on their experience with the simulation and interdisciplinary communication.
Results: The first cohort of 44 students completed the interdisciplinary education program in spring 2023. Qualitative feedback was overwhelming positive, with students from all programs reporting an increased knowledge of and appreciation for their colleagues’ role in managing post-partum depression. They also reported increased comfort in interdisciplinary communication. Students from all programs felt that the presented patient scenario was realistic and expressed a desire for more collaboration between psychiatric providers and midwives.
Implications: Interdisciplinary post-partum depression simulation is feasible for nurse practitioner students in psychiatry and midwifery, with resources of time and space continuing to be the biggest barriers to expanding interdisciplinary simulation. Incorporating feedback from the 2023 cohort, faculty plan to conduct a quasi-experimental study using a pre-posttest design to assess students’ knowledge and attitudes toward interdisciplinary collaboration and impact of interdisciplinary simulation on management of post-partum depression. Interdisciplinary
education can improve quality of and access to care for birthing people with mental health disorders.
Description
Interdisciplinary simulation between psychiatry and midwifery can be used to educate nurse practitioner students on post-partum depression and help address disparities for birthing people with mental health disorders.