Simulation in healthcare : journal of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare
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Medical simulation takes advantage of contextual and experiential learning by allowing trainees to practice in realistic environments prior to actual patient care. Although proponents argue that patient simulation can fundamentally enhance both medical education and patient safety, large-scale experience with advanced simulation technologies is limited. To explore expert opinion on the topic, we convened a conference of educational leaders and simulation experts to provide recommendations for how this field should be directed on a broad scale to improve the training of future health professionals. This document summarizes the proceedings of that conference. ⋯ Medical simulation can and should be used to complement current methods of medical education. Educators should make thoughtful choices among simulation modalities to help trainees most effectively achieve learning objectives. Simulation researchers should prioritize the development and validation of clinical performance tools and other defined outcome measures on which meaningful large-scale research can be anchored. Finally, national collaboration should be encouraged and fostered by institutions and funding agencies.
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Crisis resource management (CRM) is a team-training program that teaches nontechnical skills such as: collaboration, communication, task management, teamwork, and leadership. The purpose of this study was to evaluate improvement in the nontechnical skills of a multidisciplinary team of pediatric residents, anesthesiology residents and pediatric nurses following participation in the CRM educational program. Self-efficacy theory guided the teaching method used in the CRM program. ⋯ Seven multidisciplinary groups were studied with a total of 40 subjects. A significant increase was found in posttest scores for perceived collaboration and satisfaction with care and in numerical ratings of observed team skills following the CRM program. The results suggest multidisciplinary team participation in the CRM program increased perceived team collaboration, satisfaction with care, and observed teamwork skills.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Enhancing graduate nurses' health assessment knowledge and skills using low-fidelity adult human simulation.
Although simulation technology in nursing education is becoming increasingly commonplace, a review of the literature reveals a paucity of rigorous, high-level research comparing the effectiveness of simulation with other traditional education methods in the acquisition of clinical knowledge and skills. This research aimed to investigate the impact of three learning interventions on graduate nurse health assessment knowledge and skills. It was hypothesized that the patient assessment skills of graduate nurses who completed a simulation learning activity would be superior to those who completed traditional education activities. ⋯ Simulation appears to be an effective educational tool for teaching patient assessment knowledge and skills to graduate nurses. Incorporation of such technology into graduate nurse education may decrease the time required to become clinically proficient, resulting in more confident and work-ready practitioners.
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The University of Virginia School of Medicine discontinued animal vivisection in February 2004 for teaching lifesaving procedures to third-year medical students. Consequently, a 1-day course using simulation technology was developed to meet objectives previously covered in the animal laboratory. The authors sought to evaluate the course and hypothesized that the students' confidence in lifesaving procedures as well as their acceptance of simulation technology as a teaching tool would increase. ⋯ This lifesaving techniques course utilizing simulation technology successfully covered objectives previously taught with animal vivisection, increased students' confidence levels in performing lifesaving procedures and was highly accepted by the medical students.
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Virtual reality simulation has been identified as an emerging educational tool with significant potential to enhance teaching of residents and students in emergency clinical encounters and procedures. Endotracheal intubation represents a critical procedure for emergency care providers. ⋯ This realistic and dynamic model is used to teach routine intubations, while future models will include more difficult airway management scenarios. This work provides a solid foundation for future versions of the intubation simulator, which will incorporate two haptic devices to allow for simultaneous control of the laryngoscope blade and endotracheal tube.