Ward calls not so scary for medical students after interprofessional simulation course: a mixed-methods cohort evaluation study.

Background: An interprofessional simulation 'ward call' course-WardSim-was designed and implemented for medical, pharmacy and nursing students. We evaluated this intervention and also explored students' experiences and ideas of both the course and of ward calls. Methods: We used a mixed-methods cohort study design including survey and focus groups. Descriptive statistical analysis and general purpose thematic analysis were undertaken. Results: Survey respondents who participated in WardSim subsequently attended more ward calls and took a more active role than the control cohort, with 34% of the intervention cohort attending ward calls under indirect supervision, compared with 15% from the control cohort (P=0.004). Focus group participants indicated that the situation they were most anxious about facing in the future was attending a ward call. They reported that their collective experiences on WardSim alleviated such anxiety because it offered them experiential learning that they could then apply in real-life situations. They said they had learnt how to work effectively with other team members, to take on a leadership role, to make differential diagnoses under pressure and to effectively communicate and seek help. Conclusions: An interprofessional, simulated ward call course increased medical students' sense of preparedness for and participation in ward calls in the next calendar year.