Wheeling University Health Science Students Collaborate on Best Treatment Practices

September 17, 2025

Wheeling University Health Science Students Collaborate on Best Treatment Practices

WHEELING, W.Va., September 17 - Wheeling University is teaching its Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and Nursing students that collaborating on treatment can produce the best patient outcomes.

Students from the DPT and Nursing programs came together recently to learn how the two disciples can foster better patient care. Specifically, this interprofessional class reviewed the connection between nursing students providing regular patient transfers and mobility, and physical therapy students prescribing adaptive equipment and gait training for patients.

The students learned how to use multiple gait adaptive devices, such as walkers, crutches and a cane in various environments. They worked together to use the devices on stairs, flat surfaces and when negotiating a curb.

"The DPT and nursing departments are passionate about collaborating and fostering real world scenarios and relationships that are common in the healthcare profession. Teaching students throughout their programming, conditions them to feel comfortable engaging in tough interprofessional conversations, allows the students to lead a comprehensive teamwork mentality in their respective environments," said Hugo Andreini, clinical assistant professor of Physical Therapy at Wheeling University.

Chair of Nursing Programs, Jill Emery, said such collaboration teaches the students that working together is the key to providing the best possible patient care.

"Strong collaboration is what produces the best patient outcomes. That is the goal we want to impress upon our students. Starting this team building at the beginning of their schooling will open the door for better interdisciplinary communication," Emery said. "I think having a better understanding of the care each discipline provides makes for a better working environment."

They noted this class brought to life real world scenarios and fostered interprofessional conversations.

"Physical therapy might have a patient experience frequent orthostatic hypotension and reach out to nursing about medication side effects and dose timing. Nursing may notice a patient is getting weaker and needs to be screened by physical therapy for proper gait adaptions. These interactions are the small moments that add up to providing comprehensive care to patients," Andreini added.

Teaching ways for both professions to work collaboratively will ultimately benefit patients, Emery said.

"What benefits the patient the most is when nurses and physical therapists work together. When we understand how each profession can help the other, it's a win-win for those people we treat," Emery added.

The health science programs are planning another collaborative learning program in early October.