Interdisciplinary simulation-based teaching and learning for healthcare professionals: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effects of interdisciplinary simulation-based teaching and learning on the interprofessional knowledge of healthcare professionals. Background: Interdisciplinary simulation-based teaching and learning have been employed to prepare learners to collaborate in clinical settings. This strategy could help healthcare professionals to better understand each other, develop interdisciplinary shared values and promote mutual respect between professions, while reducing errors and adverse events in hospital. A meta-analysis was performed to investigate the effects of interdisciplinary simulation-based teaching and learning on healthcare professionals. Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: A systematic search was conducted of databases including Academic Search Complete, CINAHL Plus with full text, Cochrane Library, Embase, Medline Complete, PubMed and Web of Science from their inception to September 5, 2023. The study included randomized controlled trials that provided interdisciplinary simulation-based education to healthcare professionals. Protocol trials or studies that did not include median or mean and standard deviation were excluded. The pooled standardized mean differences of outcomes were analyzed using a DerSimonian–Laird random-effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed using I². Egger's regression test was used to examine publication bias indicated in forest plots. Results: Ten randomized control trials with a total of 766 participants were included in the pooled analyses. Interdisciplinary simulation-based teaching and learning positively enhanced the interprofessional knowledge of healthcare professionals (pooled SMD = 0.30; 95% CI = 0.10–0.50; p < 0.001). Egger's regression test results were non-significant, indicating that publication bias had little impact on the pooled SMDs. Conclusion: Interdisciplinary simulation-based teaching and learning for health professionals appear to be significantly beneficial for increasing their interprofessional knowledge. This strategy highlights the importance of providing a well-developed scenario with relevant properties, which applies valid and rigorous instruments, to measure behavioral changes induced by interdisciplinary simulation-based teaching and learning.