Interprofessional Strategies for Enabling Autonomy of the Vulnerable Adult

Objectives:

At the end of the session each student will be able to: 

1. Understand the role of each discipline in providing a comprehensive assessment and plan. 
2. Examine the ethical issues regarding autonomy of the vulnerable client. 
3. Develop a recommended treatment plan which includes health professional, social work and legal perspectives.

The case concerns an older woman who is frequently admitted to the University of Maryland Medical Center, and has come to the attention of the UMMC Transitions of Care Team.  The woman, who is in her late 70’s, has multiple medical problems and lives alone in Baltimore city.   She has adult children who are minimally involved. 

The two-hour session will include:

• The division of the students into small, interprofessional discussion groups
• A brief presentation from each of the faculty members about the role of the respective professions in working on behalf of the client
• Student small group discussions examining how the professions represented can collaborate on behalf of the client in trying to formulate an assessment and plan.