Interdisciplinary Education for Equity-Oriented Practice: A Quasi-Experimental Study of Social Work and Nursing Students

Background
Simulation-based interprofessional education (sim-IPE) has been shown to enhance collaboration, communication, and patient-centered care among healthcare students. However, gaps remain in understanding its impact on students’ knowledge of healthcare bias and social determinants of health (SDOH), as well as attitudes toward interprofessional collaboration. This study aimed to examine whether participation in a sim-IPE activity improves (1) knowledge of healthcare bias and SDOH and (2) attitudes toward interprofessional collaboration among undergraduate nursing and social work students.

Methods
A pre-test/post-test design was used with a convenience sample of undergraduate nursing and social work students (N = 117) at Austin Peay State University. Participants were primarily nursing students (83.8%), aged 18–29 (64.1%), and predominantly White (70.9%). Data were collected using a 38-item survey composed of three validated instruments: Assessing Student Competence and Knowledge of Social Determinants of Health, the Social Justice Scale, and the Interprofessional Attitudes Scale. Reliability was strong across measures (Cronbach’s α ranging from 0.81 to 0.96 pre-test and post-test). Participants completed surveys before and after engaging in sim-IPE activities within mental health and pediatric cohorts. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and mean comparisons to assess changes between pre- and post-test scores.

Results
Findings indicated statistically significant improvements across multiple domains. There was a significant mean increase on 26 survey items overall. Specifically, improvements were observed in 6 of 8 SDOH knowledge items, 9 of 15 interprofessional attitudes items, and 11 of 15 social justice items. Reliability remained high (Cronbach’s α = 0.89 pre-test; α = 0.92 post-test), supporting consistency in measurement.

Implications
Participation in sim-IPE activities significantly enhanced students’ awareness of SDOH, strengthened social justice attitudes, and improved perceptions of interprofessional collaboration. Students reported greater recognition of systemic factors such as education, housing, and access to care, as well as increased confidence in engaging in advocacy and teamwork. These findings support the integration of sim-IPE into healthcare education to better prepare students for collaborative, equity-focused practice. Implications include the need for expanded interdisciplinary training models and further research on long-term impacts of sim-IPE on professional practice and patient outcomes.