In-situ simulation: A different approach to patient safety through immersive training

Simulation is becoming more and more popular in the field of healthcare education. The main concern for some faculty is knowing how to organise simulation training sessions when there is no simulation centre as they are not yet widely available and their cost is often prohibitive. In medical education, the pedagogic objectives are mainly aimed at improving the quality of care as well as patient safety. To that effect, a mobile training approach whereby simulation-based education is done at the point of care, outside simulation centres, is particularly appropriate. It is usually called “in-situ simulation”. This is an approach that allows training of care providers as a team in their normal working environment. It is particularly useful to observe human factors and train team members in a context that is their real working environment. This immersive training approach can be relatively low cost and enables to identify strengths and weaknesses of a healthcare system. This article reminds readers of the principle of « context specific learning » that is needed for the good implementation of simulation-based education in healthcare while highlighting the advantages, obstacles, and challenges to the development of in-situ simulation in hospitals. The objective is to make clinical simulation accessible to all clinicians for the best interests of the patient.Peer reviewe

Cadaveric simulation for improving surgical training in dermatology.

Simulation models are rapidly changing medical education, especially the training of dermatology residents. Various models are available, including cadaveric simulations. Our study evaluates the impact of a cadaveric simulation on the training of dermatology residents. Over a period of three years, cadaveric simulation was shown to increase the surgical knowledge of residents. Residents were more confident in their knowledge of surgical anatomy and also surgical skills. Cadaveric simulation may offer a positive impact on resident training in dermatology

Engaging Undergraduate Students in Transportation Studies through Simulating Transportation for Realistic Engineering Education and Training (STREET)

The practice of transportation engineering and planning has evolved substantially over the past several decades. A new paradigm for transportation engineering education is required to better engage students and deliver knowledge. Simulation tools have been used by transportation professionals to evaluate and analyze the potential impact of design or control strategy changes. Conveying complex transportation concepts can be effectively achieved by exploring them through simulation. Simulation is particularly valuable in transportation education because most transportation policies and strategies in the real world take years to implement with a prohibitively high cost. Transportation simulation allows learners to apply different control strategies in a risk-free environment and to expose themselves to transportation engineering methodologies that are currently in practice. Despite the advantages, simulation, however, has not been widely adopted in the education of transportation engineering. Using simulation in undergraduate transportation courses is sporadic and reported efforts have been focused on the upper-level technical elective courses. A suite of web-based simulation modules was developed and incorporated in the undergraduate transportation courses at University of Minnesota. The STREET (Simulating Transportation for Realistic Engineering Education and Training) research project was recently awarded by NSF (National Science Foundation) to develop web-based simulation modules to improve instruction in transportation engineering courses and evaluate their effectiveness. Our ultimate goal is to become the epicenter for developing simulation-based teaching materials, an active textbook, which offers an interactive learning environment to undergraduate students. With the hand-on nature of simulation, we hope to improve student understanding of critical concepts in transportation engineering and student motivation toward transportation engineering, and improve student retention in the field. We also would like to disseminate the results and teaching materials to other colleges to integrate the simulation modules in their curricula.Transportation Education and Training, Transportation Simulation, Roadway Geometry Design

Systematic review of the current status of cadaveric simulation for surgical training

Background: There is growing interest in and provision of cadaveric simulation courses for surgical trainees. This is being driven by the need to modernize and improve the efficiency of surgical training within the current challenging training climate. The objective of this systematic review is to describe and evaluate the evidence for cadaveric simulation in postgraduate surgical training. Methods: A PRISMA‐compliant systematic literature review of studies that prospectively evaluated a cadaveric simulation training intervention for surgical trainees was undertaken. All relevant databases and trial registries were searched to January 2019. Methodological rigour was assessed using the widely validated Medical Education Research Quality Index (MERSQI) tool. Results: A total of 51 studies were included, involving 2002 surgical trainees across 69 cadaveric training interventions. Of these, 22 assessed the impact of the cadaveric training intervention using only subjective measures, five measured impact by change in learner knowledge, and 23 used objective tools to assess change in learner behaviour after training. Only one study assessed patient outcome and demonstrated transfer of skill from the simulated environment to the workplace. Of the included studies, 67 per cent had weak methodology (MERSQI score less than 10·7). Conclusion: There is an abundance of relatively low‐quality evidence showing that cadaveric simulation induces short‐term skill acquisition as measured by objective means. There is currently a lack of evidence of skill retention, and of transfer of skills following training into the live operating theatre

Recommendations for the establishment of a clinical simulation unit to train South African medical students

Background. The burden of HIV and tuberculosis epidemics in South Africa (SA), Africa and developing countries in other parts of the world has an influence on the change in case mix. Shortages of beds in training hospitals and the need to train more healthcare professionals contribute to the saturation of the teaching platform. Clinical simulation as a tool to enhance the education and training of medical students in SA and recommendations in this regard were investigated.Objective. To obtain recommendations regarding the development of simulation training, assessment facilities and programmes, and determine whether simulation training could enhance medical education and training in the developing world.Methods. Qualitative research methods, including semi-structured interviews with international simulation experts and focus group interviews with heads of department and lecturers of the local medical school, were used to generate data.Results. A set of recommendations regarding the introduction of simulation training at an SA medical school was developed to improve patient safety, create a better training environment, and address the healthcare education challenges in SA hospitals.Conclusion. The incorporation of simulation into medical curricula and the development of clinical simulation training facilities for healthcare professionals in SA could bridge the gap currently experienced in health sciences education in the country. The recommendations outlined in our study may assist other medical training institutions in the developing world in setting up simulation training facilities

Enhancement of plastic surgery training by including simulation in education and training programmes

Background. This research investigated the possibility of integrating simulation in plastic surgery residency training. The problem addressed was the lack of knowledge about using simulation as a teaching method to enhance the training of plastic surgeons. There was a lack of empirical evidence regarding learning outcomes that could be mastered by simulation-based education and training and their specific cognitive levels.Objectives. To identify and describe: (i) learning outcomes for plastic surgery education and training for which simulation might be an important (essential and useful) training method; and (ii) simulation modalities, linked to specific cognitive levels, to establish the influence of simulation on plastic surgery education and training. The objectives entail determining the importance of simulation in plastic surgery training and identifying simulation modalities most suited to attain specific outcomes.Methods. Data were collected by means of a Delphi survey to obtain consensus from an expert panel comprising 9 plastic surgeons, supplemented by semi-structured interviews conducted with 8 national and international role players in simulation and postgraduate education.Results. Learning outcomes, levels of training, possible simulation modalities, cognitive levels and descriptive verbs and phrases were described, as these pertain to learning. Participants agreed that simulation in medical education can be used to enhance postgraduate plastic surgery training, with special reference to specific outcomes and cognitive levels. Participants made recommendations for the planning and support of the implementation, aimed at ensuring the quality of training.Conclusion. The objectives set were achieved and the results of the study serve as encouragement and guidance in the striving for the enhancement of postgraduate plastic surgery education and training, and in other medical disciplines

A Simulation-Based Teaching Strategy to Achieve Competence in Learners

Background: Simulation-based education has become the mainstay of clinical education in health sciences and medical education. A simulation-based education is a result of work hour restriction placed on graduate learners, increased number of students requiring clinical experience, decreased number of clinical sites and lack of the availability to perform certain procedures by learners. Research has demonstrated that integration of a simulation-based educational teaching strategy in a curriculum and throughout continued learning achieves competence in learners. Methods: The review of the literature highlighted the following topics: (a) history of medical simulation, (b) fidelity used in simulation training, devices and equipment, (c) learning theories associated with simulation-based education, (d) role of simulation training in medical and health sciences education, e) advantages and disadvantages of simulation training, f) competence in simulation-based education, g) debriefing/reflection in simulation. Results: An extensive review of the literature supports the use of a simulation-based teaching strategy in health sciences and medical education. Learning theories associated with simulation-based education allow educators to provide teaching strategies that align with learner’s ability to achieve competence in learning clinical and procedural skills required for their profession. Conclusion: A simulation-based education integrated in all stages of learner education that provides deliberate/repetitive practice and feedback achieves competence in learners throughout a life-time of learning

USE OF SIMULATION IN PHARMACY PRACTICE AND IMPLEMENTATION IN UNDERGRADUATE PHARMACY CURRICULUM IN INDIA

The use of simulation and related technology in healthcare education will continue to increase in the coming years and there is a collective role for this technique within pharmacy curricula. It is anticipated that increasing the amount of simulation in pharmacy curricula will have a positive impact on education and training of pharmacy students, and ultimately produce positive benefits for patients and the healthcare team. The apparent objective of introducing simulation techniques into the training program for pharmacy students is to advance the education and training of pharmacists with the ultimate objective of improving patient care and safety. Simulation experiences could never substitute experiences in real clinical settings, but has a great potential to complement clinical education as well as to use as a provision to develop skills required for a competent pharmacist. In addition to the development of technical skills such as procedural and clinical skills, simulation techniques have been used in pharmacy education in addressing general cognitive and social skills, notably in communication, decision-making, ethical issues, prioritization and teamwork. Pharmacy programs which aim to provide an opportunity for theoretical knowledge to be applied to a real clinical setting, simulated learning environments could enable a more systematic approach to both the training of clinical skills. Simulation provides a consistent, predictable experience to basic sciences, dispensing and medication supply. Ideally, it was recognized that simulation training should be integrated across all levels of pharmacy education and training.Keywords: Simulated Learning Program, Experiential education, Pharmacy practice, Indi

ENHANCING MEDICAL EDUCATION AND PATIENT SAFETY: A REVIEW OF SIMULATION TRAINING IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY

Simulation training has emerged as a valuable tool in medical education, offering a safe and controlled environment for healthcare professionals to gain hands-on experience. In the field of obstetrics and gynecology, simulation training plays a crucial role in enhancing learning and improving patient safety. This article provides a comprehensive review of the importance of simulation training and its impact on medical education and patient care in the context of obstetrics and gynecology