Influence of Social Work and Nursing Interprofessional Collaboration Skills at the Undergraduate Level

A Pilot Study

Authors

  • Dan Knapp University of St. Francis
  • Courtney Pritchard University of St. Francis
  • Heather McDonald University of St. Francis
  • Rachel Lagorio University of St. Francis

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18060/29231

Keywords:

Social Work, Nursing, Collaboration, Simulation, Curriculum, Interprofessional

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of simulation-based learning on fostering interdisciplinary collaboration between nursing and social work students. Interdisciplinary teams are essential in healthcare settings, requiring practitioners to possess effective communication and collaboration skills. Nursing and social work are disciplines that frequently collaborate, making undergraduate education a vital place to prepare students for this teamwork. Simulation work offers a safe and controlled environment for students to practice skills. A convenience sample of 44 students, consisting of 20 social work and 24 nursing students, participated in this study. Data collection involved observations of student interactions during the simulation and subsequent focus group discussions. Thematic analysis identified key themes related to four competencies of interprofessional collaboration: values and ethics, roles and responsibilities, teamwork, and communication. Students demonstrated practice skills including respect, empathy, and cultural sensitivity, while also exhibiting active listening and a willingness to learn about each other’s roles. Overall, this study suggests that simulated-based learning is a valuable tool for promoting collaboration between nursing and social work students. Future studies can investigate students’ uncertainty about each other’s roles at the onset of a simulation and the impact of enhanced communication via role clarification at the beginning of a simulated experience.

Author Biographies

Courtney Pritchard, University of St. Francis

I graduated with my BSN from Bradley University in 2006 and started my nursing career working in the trauma/neurological/surgical intensive care unit focusing on the adult population. Critical care is my passion and I continued to advance my nursing career by becoming CCRN certified and obtaining my MSN degree with a concentration in nursing education. I have been in nursing education since 2015 and love working for the University of St. Francis. I enjoy teaching the senior level nursing students and seeing them develop from a nursing student into a nursing professional. I currently teach advanced medical-surgical nursing and simulation during the students last semester. I reside in New Lenox, IL with my husband and two children.   

Heather McDonald, University of St. Francis

I have been working as a nurse since 2006. As a critical care nurse, I have worked in the ICU, as a travel nurse, and in the urgent care setting. For the last ten years I have been teaching nursing. I have taught various courses in the education setting including simulation, clinical, and the classroom. My passion is to help prepare the next generation of nurses into the practice setting. Personally, I am married and we have a Husky mix. I enjoy traveling with our dog, reading, cooking, and being with friends and family.

Rachel Lagorio, University of St. Francis

Rachel has been a Visiting Assistant Professor in the social work program for the last few years.  Rachel teaches BSW and MSW students, and while doing so, provides valuable educational experiences in the classroom such as by inviting guest speakers and taking students to social service agencies for their learning experiences.  Rachel is a part of several professional memberships, such as the Illinois Coalition for Educating At-Risk Youth, Resilience Education to Advance Community Healing Initiative, Phi-Alpha Honor Society, and Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society. 

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Published

2026-09-21

Issue

Vol. 26 No. 1 (2026): Spring 2026

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 Dan Knapp, Courtney Pritchard, Heather McDonald, Rachel Lagorio

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.