Biomedical subjects

Amitai Ziv

Publications and source records attributed to Amitai Ziv.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

The impact of educational intervention programs on pain management in a pediatric emergency department.

Management of pain and anxiety is an important part of patient care in the pediatric emergency department (ED). Even though it has improved significantly over the past few years, it is still suboptimal. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of informal and formal education on pain and anxiety management in the pediatric ED. Management of pain and anxiety was assessed by comparing the use of analgesics and sedatives during three phases: A) year 2000 (baseline), B) years 2001-2002 (informal teaching) and C) year 2004 (following a structured simulation-based training in pediatric sedation and analgesia). During period B there was a significant increase in the yearly use of eutectic mixture of local anesthetics (EMLA) (RR=2.63, CI 1.23-5.6), ibuprofen (RR=14.16, CI 8.73-22.98), midazolam (RR=1.68, CI 1.39-2.03) and nitrous oxide (N2O) in comparison with period A, with an additional increment of the first three medicines during period C. There was no change in the use of ketamine, morphine and meperidine during period B. Whereas, during period C, a significant increase in the use of ketamine and morphine was demonstrated (RR=24.56, CI 10.71-56.3 and RR=3.07, CI 2.12-4.44, respectively), while the use of meperidine (RR=0.68, CI 0.49-0.94) and N2O (RR=0.46, 95% CI 0.32-0.67) declined significantly. Educational interventions have a clear impact on pain and anxiety management demonstrated by the subsequent change in the use of sedatives and analgesics and should be provided to pediatric ED physicians. Informal teaching affected mainly the use of milder sedatives and analgesics, while formal structured training influenced the use of opioids and dissociative agents.

Analgesics↗

PubMed2006

The Israel Center for Medical Simulation: a paradigm for cultural change in medical education.

Simulation-based medical education (SBME) is a rapidly growing field, as is illustrated by the increased development of simulation centers worldwide. SBME is becoming a powerful force in addressing the need to increase patient safety through quality-care training. Recognizing the benefits of SBME, increasing numbers of bodies involved in medical and health care education and training are establishing simulation centers worldwide. The general model of most facilities focuses on a single simulation modality or a specific branch of medicine or health care, limiting their overall impact on patient safety and quality of care across the health care systems. MSR, the Israel Center for Medical Simulation, is a comprehensive, national, multimodality, multidisciplinary medical simulation center dedicated to enhancing hands-on medical education, performance assessment, patient safety, and quality of care by improving clinical and communication skills. The center uses an "error-driven" educational approach, which recognizes that errors provide an opportunity to create a unique beneficial learning experience. The authors present the Israeli experience as an alternative model, and describe the impact of the MSR model on the Israeli medical community during four years of activity. They also describe the opportunities this model has opened towards changing the culture of medical education and patient safety within Israel Although this model may require modification when implemented in other medical systems, it highlights important lessons regarding the power of SBME in triggering and bringing about cultural changes in traditional medical education.

Computer Simulation↗

PubMed2006

An assessment of a point-of-care information system for the anesthesia provider in simulated malignant hyperthermia crisis.

In this prospective, controlled study we compared the ability of anesthesia residents to diagnose and treat a simulated malignant hyperthermia (MH) scenario with and without the ability to use the On-Line Electronic Help (OLEH) information system or any other written guidelines. The OLEH is a point-of-care information system for the anesthesia provider in the operating room. The score for MH treatment after diagnosis based on clinical actions was significantly higher (P = 0.018) in the OLEH-user group (21.5 +/- 4.9) compared with a control group (15.5 +/- 7.6). This study demonstrates the possible value of a point-of-care information system in patient care; however, the significance of the results may be limited by the participants' anticipation of an acute event during training requiring the use of the OLEH.

Anesthesiology↗

PubMed2006

Incorporating simulation-based objective structured clinical examination into the Israeli National Board Examination in Anesthesiology.

We describe the unique process whereby simulation-based, objective structured clinical evaluation (OSCE) has been incorporated into the Israeli board examination in anesthesiology. Development of the examination included three steps: a) definition of clinical conditions that residents are required to handle competently, b) definition of tasks pertaining to each of the conditions, and c) incorporation of the tasks into hands-on simulation-based examination stations in the OSCE format, including 1) trauma management, 2) resuscitation, 3) crisis management in the operating room, 4) regional anesthesia, and 5) mechanical ventilation. Members of the Israeli Board of Anesthesiology Examination Committee assisted by experts from the Israel Center for Medical Simulation and from Israel's National Institute for Testing and Evaluation were involved in this process and in the development of the assessment tools, orientation of examinees, and preparation of examiners. The examination has been administered 4 times in the past 2 yr to 104 examinees and has gradually progressed from being a minor part of the oral board examination to a prerequisite component of this test. The pass rate ranged from 70% in resuscitation to 91% in regional anesthesia. The mean inter-rater correlations for all the checklist items, for the score based on the critical checklist items only, and for the general rating were 0.89, 0.86, and 0.76, respectively. The overall Kappa coefficients (the inter-rater agreement coefficient) for the total score and the critical checklist items were 0.71 and 0.76, respectively. The correlation between the total score and the general score was 0.76. According to a subjective feedback questionnaire, most (70%-90%) participants found the difficulty level of the examination stations reasonable to very easy and prefer this method of examination to a conventional oral examination. The incorporation of OSCE-driven modalities in the certification of anesthesiologists in Israel is a continuing process of evaluation and assessment.

Anesthesiology↗

PubMed2006

The validation process of incorporating simulation-based accreditation into the anesthesiology Israeli national board exams.

BACKGROUND: The Israeli Board of Anesthesiology Examination Committee added a simulation-based Objective Structured Clinical Evaluation component to the board examination process. This addition was made in order to evaluate medical competence and considers certain domains that contribute to professionalism. This unique and new process needed to be validated. OBJECTIVES: To validate and evaluate the reliability and realism of incorporating simulation-based OSCE into the Israeli Board Examination in Anesthesia. METHODS: Validation was performed before the exam regarding Content Validity using the modified Delphi technique by members of the Task Force of the Israeli Board Examination Committee in Anesthesiology. RESULTS: The examination has been administered six times in the past 3 years to a total of 145 examinees. The pass rate ranged from 62% (trauma) to 91% (regional anesthesia). The mean inter-rater correlations for the total score (all items), for the Critical checklist items score, and for the Global (General) rating were 0.89, 0.86 and 0.76, respectively. The inter-correlations between the five OSCE stations scores were significant (P< 0.01) only between Trauma & Ventilation for the Total score (r = 0.32, n=63), and between Resuscitation & Regional and OR-crisis for the Global score (r = 0.42 and 0.27, n=64 and 104, respectively). The correlation between the OSCE examination score and the success rate at each of the eight different clinical domains of the oral board examination did not reach statistical significance. Most participants (70-90%) found the difficulty level of the examination stations reasonable to very easy. All major errors, which were identified in the initial two exam periods, disappeared later in the next two exam periods. CONCLUSIONS: The exam has gradually progressed from being an optional part of the oral board examination to a prerequisite component of this test. Other anesthesiology programs or medical professions can adopt the model described here.

Accreditation↗

PubMed2006

[Clinical and communication simulation workshop for fellows in gastroenterology: the trainees' perspective].

BACKGROUND: The continuing development in computer-based medical simulators provides an ideal platform for simulator-assisted training programs for medical trainees. Computer-based endoscopic simulators provide a virtual reality environment for training endoscopic procedures. This study illustrates the use of a comprehensive training model combining the use of endoscopic simulators with simulated (actor) patients (SP). AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of a comprehensive simulation workshop from the trainee perspective. METHODS: Four case studies were developed with emphasis on communication skills. Three workshops with 10 fellows in each were conducted. During each workshop the trainees spent half of the time in SP case studies and the remaining half working with computerized endoscopic simulators with continuous guidance by an expert endoscopist. Questionnaires were completed by the fellows at the end of the workshop. RESULTS: Seventy percent of the fellows felt that the endoscopic simulator was close or very close to reality for gastroscopy and 63% for colonoscopy. Eighty eight percent thought the close guidance was important for the learning process with the simulator. Eighty percent felt that the case studies were an important learning experience for risk management. CONCLUSION: Further evaluation of multi-modality simulation workshops in gastroenterologist training is needed to identify how best to incorporate this form of instruction into training for gastroenterologists.

Computer-Assisted Instruction↗

PubMed2005

Simulation based medical education: an opportunity to learn from errors.

Medical professionals and educators recognize that Simulation Based Medical Education (SBME) can contribute considerably to improving medical care by boosting medical professionals' performance and enhancing patient safety. A central characteristic of SBME is its unique approach to making (and learning from) mistakes, which is regarded as a powerful educational experience and as an opportunity for professional improvement. The basic assumption underlying SBME is that increased practice in learning from mistakes and in error management in a simulated environment will reduce occurrences of errors in real life and will provide professionals with the correct attitude and skills to cope competently with those mistakes that could not be prevented. The main message of the present paper is that this assumption, which serves as the driving force of SBME, should also serve as a starting point for critical thinking and questioning regarding the multiple aspects and components of SBME. These questions, in turn, should lead to empirical research that will provide feedback concerning changes that may be necessary in order to attain the goal of improving medical professionals' performance. Based on such research, SBME will be held accountable for its outcomes, i.e. whether its educational techniques indeed result in decreased occurrence of errors or not, and whether the ability to cope with the errors that do occur is significantly improved. The first of three issues that were addressed concerns individuals' experience of performing mistakes. It is suggested that in order to benefit fully from the experience of performing mistakes in a simulated context, medical educators should create a balance between the emotional load associated with the experience and the professional lessons that can be learned. Furthermore, research should focus on the long-term effects of the experience in changing professionals' attitudes and behaviour. The second question concerned the contribution of the different components of the educational experience to creating the desired changes in professionals' performance. Analysis of the teaching and learning involved in each stage of the educational event should serve as the basis for research that aims at identifying the unique contribution and efficiency of each element, and defining the essential core activities of a simulated experience. Finally, the need to define a newly emerging profession-SBME educator-was addressed. The professional qualifications are, clearly, multidisciplinary and should be based on the growing experience of medical educators in training students and professionals. Defining the profession is essential in order to create academic environments in which professionals will be trained to develop and implement new programmes, accompanied by research and assessment.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMed2005

Using advanced simulation for recognition and correction of gaps in airway and breathing management skills in prehospital trauma care.

In this prospective study, we used two full-scale prehospital trauma scenarios (severe chest injury and severe head injury) and checklists of specific actions, reflecting essential actions for a safe treatment and successful outcome, were used to assess performance of postinternship physician graduates of the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) course. In the first 36 participants, simulated training followed basic training in airway and breathing management, whereas in the next 36 participants, 45 min of simulative training in airway management using the Air-Man simulator (Laerdal, Norway) were added before performing the study scenarios. The content of training was based on common mistakes performed by participants of the first group. After the change in training, the number of participants not performing cricoid pressure or not using medication during intubation decreased from 55% (20 of 36) to 8% (3 of 36) and from 42% (15 of 36) to 11% (4 of 36), respectively (P < 0.05). The number of participants not holding the tube properly before fixation decreased from 28% (10 of 36) to 0% (0 of 36) (P < 0.05). In the severe head trauma scenario, performed by 15 of 36 participants in each group, the incidence of mistakes in the management of secondary airway or breathing problems after initial intubation decreased from 60% (9 of 15) to 0% (0 of 15) (P < 0.05). The present study highlights problems in prehospital trauma management, as provided by the ATLS course. It seems that graduates may benefit from simulation-based airway and breathing training. However, clinical benefits from simulation-based training need to be evaluated.

Clinical Competence↗

PubMed2005

The feasibility of sharing simulation-based evaluation scenarios in anesthesiology.

UNLABELLED: We prospectively assessed the feasibility of international sharing of simulation-based evaluation tools despite differences in language, education, and anesthesia practice, in an Israeli study, using validated scenarios from a multi-institutional United States (US) study. Thirty-one Israeli junior anesthesia residents performed four simulation scenarios. Training sessions were videotaped and performance was assessed using two validated scoring systems (Long and Short Forms) by two independent raters. Subjects scored from 37 to 95 (70 +/- 12) of 108 possible points with the "Long Form" and "Short Form" scores ranging from 18 to 35 (28.2 +/- 4.5) of 40 possible points. Scores >70% of the maximal score were achieved by 61% of participants in comparison to only 5% in the original US study. The scenarios were rated as very realistic by 80% of the participants (grade 4 on a 1-4 scale). Reliability of the original assessment tools was demonstrated by internal consistencies of 0.66 for the Long and 0.75 for the Short Form (Cronbach alpha statistic). Values in the original study were 0.72-0.76 for the Long and 0.71-0.75 for the Short Form. The reliability did not change when a revised Israeli version of the scoring was used. Interrater reliability measured by Pearson correlation was 0.91 for the Long and 0.96 for the Short Form (P < 0.01). The high scores for plausibility given to the scenarios and the similar reliability of the original assessment tool support the feasibility of using simulation-based evaluation tools, developed in the US, in Israel. The higher scores achieved by Israeli residents may be related to the fact that most Israeli residents are immigrants with previous training in anesthesia. IMPLICATIONS: Simulation-based assessment tools developed in a multi-institutional study in the United States can be used in Israel despite the differences in language, education, and medical system.

Anaphylaxis↗

PubMed2004

Awareness level of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome during routine unstructured interviews of a standardized patient by primary care physicians.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the awareness level of primary care physicians of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome during patient-physician encounters. DESIGN: A prospective study using a standardized patient approach, conducted between December 2001 and March 2002. Ten sleep experts reviewed and approved the checklist questionnaire. SETTING: Primary care clinics of Clalit Health Care Services, in the central region of Israel. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty physicians (100% compliance) randomly selected (matched by age, sex, board certification) from the 261 primary care givers in the region. INTERVENTION: A standardized patient incorporated into the physicians' daily practices. RESULTS: From the original checklist questionnaire, we identified 2 related question areas that at least 90% of sleep experts would pursue in light of the presenting scenario, "Do the patients snore, choke, or stop breathing in sleep?" and "Does the patient have sleepiness, unrefreshed sleep/fall asleep at undesirable times?" During the unstructured interview, only 10% of the physicians asked 3 or more questions. More than 85% of primary care physicians identified the need for polysomnography evaluation (27 physicians) or continuous positive airway pressure (26 physicians) treatment for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. However, only 16% and 50% discussed possible complications of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome such as motor vehicle and work accidents and cardiovascular events, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Primary care physicians cannot identify a common disorder associated with cardiovascular and neurobehavioral disease and could not identify the sleepiness as a source of dangerous driving. While understanding the algorithms for the diagnosis of sleep apnea, physicians cannot identify the patients for whom the diagnostics are needed. Education programs need to be developed to increase the level of suspicion of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome among practicing primary care physicians. Activities can be monitored and evaluated over time in the daily practice by standardized patients. EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVE: Increased awareness level of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome among primary care physicians, through publications and educational programs, monitored by standardized patients.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMed2004

Intraosseous vascular access in the treatment of chemical warfare casualties assessed by advanced simulation: proposed alteration of treatment protocol.

UNLABELLED: Current treatment protocols for chemical warfare casualties assume no IV access during the early treatment stages. Time constraints in mass casualty scenarios, impaired manual dexterity of medical personnel wearing protective gear, and victims' complex clinical presentations render standard IV access techniques impractical. A newly developed spring-driven, trigger-operated intraosseous infusion device may offer an effective solution. Sophisticated simulators were developed and used to mimic scenarios of chemical warfare casualties for assessing the feasibility of intraosseous infusion delivery. We evaluated the clinical performance of medical teams in full protective gear. The success rate in intraosseous insertion, time to completion of treatment goals, and outcome were measured in a simulated setting. Medical teams from major hospitals in Israel, designated for emergency response in a real chemical warfare mass casualty scenario, were trained in a simulated setting. All 94 participating physicians were supplied with conventional treatment modalities: only the 64 study group physicians received intraosseous devices. The simulated survival rate was 73.4% for the study group and 3.3% for the controls (P < 0.001). Treatment goals were achieved within 3.5 min (range, 1-9 min) in the study group and within >10 min for controls (P < 0.001), and the complication rate for intraosseous use was 13.8%. Personnel satisfaction with the intraosseous device was unanimous and high. New-generation intraosseous infusions have great potential value in the early treatment stages of chemical warfare casualties. IMPLICATIONS: In a chemical warfare mass casualty scenario, the protective gear worn by medical personnel, the time constraints, and the casualties' medical condition impose limitations on the establishment of IV access during early treatment of the victims. A spring-driven, trigger-operated intraosseous infusion delivery system may offer an effective solution.

Chemical Warfare↗

PubMed2004

[Development and assessment of simulated patient based curricular unit in order to improve clinical skills in adolescent medicine of pediatric and family practice residents].

OBJECTIVE: This study describes the development and evaluation of a curricular program aimed at improving the clinical and communication skills required for managing the clinical encounter with adolescents, among pediatric and family practice residents using the technique of standardized patients. METHODS: A daylong curricular unit which included: clinical interviews with simulated patients presenting typical clinical problems occurring among adolescents; a teaching unit explaining the principles of communication with adolescents and a clinical discussion and feedback session using video clips. Forty-eight residents in pediatrics and family practice undertook the curricular unit. A total of 120 doctor-simulated patient interviews were documented using six patients' case scenarios representing somatization disorder, eating disorder, chronic illness and non-compliance, pregnancy, drug abuse and menstrual disorder. RESULTS: The doctors' self-estimation of clinical skills associated with adolescent medicine that was documented at the beginning of the curricular unit was generally reported as low. In most of the cases the participants did not identify the main problem and diagnoses that were presented. The problems least correctly diagnosed were eating disorder and non-compliant chronic illness. Only in the cases of somatization and pregnancy more than half of the residents identified the problems that were presented. At the end of the curricular unit the doctors expressed a very high level of satisfaction with the program. CONCLUSION: The present study developed and evaluated a short and structured curricular unit dealing with the principles of communication with adolescent patients using the technique of simulated/standardized patients. It was found that the lack in these skills, which was identified in pediatric and family practice residents, could be bridged using this educational technique.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

[Informed consent--a simulation workshop for surgeons and gynaecologists].

BACKGROUND: Informed consent as part of the Israeli Patient's Rights Act (1996) is poorly known and only partly followed among physicians in Israel. PURPOSE: A one-day workshop on informed consent was designed with a dual purpose: a) to instruct on the legal requirements for obtaining consent to surgery for physicians in the surgical disciplines, and b) to practice effective and humane physician-patient relationships. METHODS: Sixty-one residents and senior staff took part in 6 sessions of a one-day workshop. Participants watched twice and performed twice videotaped simulated consent conversations with standardized patients. Six professional actors personified patients with common surgical problems and different characters and behaviours. Each participant was challenged with medical problems in her/his discipline. Following the first simulation, the participants attended a group discussion concerning legal requirements for informed consent, and expectations of patients and physicians in terms of communication skills and patient-physician relationships. Three types of feed-back were employed: a) non-professional personal feedback from the actors; b) personal feedback from a communication specialist using one of the videotaped encounters; and c) group discussions of each of the 6 types of simulations with examples from the encounters. RESULTS: Feedback from the participants was positive and showed interest and need of knowledge of the law as well as of communicative skills. CONCLUSIONS: There is a place, among residents and senior physicians, for experiential learning of how to effectively and humanely obtain informed consent.

Education, Medical, Continuing↗

PubMed2003

Reliability and validity of a simulation-based acute care skills assessment for medical students and residents.

BACKGROUND: Medical students and residents are expected to be able to manage a variety of critical events after training, but many of these individuals have limited clinical experiences in the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions. Life-sized mannequins that model critical events can be used to evaluate the skills required to manage and treat acute medical conditions. The purpose of this study was to develop and test simulation exercises and associated scoring methods that could be used to evaluate the acute care skills of final-year medical students and first-year residents. METHODS: The authors developed and tested 10 simulated acute care situations that clinical faculty at a major medical school expects graduating physicians to be able to recognize and treat at the conclusion of training. Forty medical students and residents participated in the evaluation of the exercises. Four faculty members scored the students/residents. RESULTS: The reliability of the simulation scores was moderate and was most strongly influenced by the choice and number of simulated encounters. The validity of the simulation scores was supported through comparisons of students'/residents' performances in relation to their clinical backgrounds and experience. CONCLUSION: Acute care skills can be validly and reliably measured using a simulation technology. However, multiple simulated encounters, covering a broad domain, are needed to effectively and accurately estimate student/resident abilities in acute care settings.

Clinical Competence↗

PubMed2003

Simulation-based medical education: an ethical imperative.

Medical training must at some point use live patients to hone the skills of health professionals. But there is also an obligation to provide optimal treatment and to ensure patients' safety and well-being. Balancing these two needs represents a fundamental ethical tension in medical education. Simulation-based learning can help mitigate this tension by developing health professionals' knowledge, skills, and attitudes while protecting patients from unnecessary risk. Simulation-based training has been institutionalized in other high-hazard professions, such as aviation, nuclear power, and the military, to maximize training safety and minimize risk. Health care has lagged behind in simulation applications for a number of reasons, including cost, lack of rigorous proof of effect, and resistance to change. Recently, the international patient safety movement and the U.S. federal policy agenda have created a receptive atmosphere for expanding the use of simulators in medical training, stressing the ethical imperative to "first do no harm" in the face of validated, large epidemiological studies describing unacceptable preventable injuries to patients as a result of medical management. Four themes provide a framework for an ethical analysis of simulation-based medical education: best standards of care and training, error management and patient safety, patient autonomy, and social justice and resource allocation. These themes are examined from the perspectives of patients, learners, educators, and society. The use of simulation wherever feasible conveys a critical educational and ethical message to all: patients are to be protected whenever possible and they are not commodities to be used as conveniences of training.

Computer Simulation↗

PubMed2003

The use of advanced simulation in the training of anesthesiologists to treat chemical warfare casualties.

UNLABELLED: Training anesthesiologists to treat nerve gas intoxication in a mass casualty scenario is a complicated task. The scenario is an unfamiliar medical situation involving the need to decontaminate patients before providing definitive medical treatment, and the need for physical protection to the medical team before decontamination. We describe the development of a simulation-based training program. In one site of a virtual hospital, anesthesiologists were trained in initial airway and breathing resuscitation before decontamination while wearing full protective gear. In another site, they were trained in the treatment of critically-ill patients with combined conventional and chemical injuries or severe intoxication. Intubation simulators of newborn, pediatric, and adult patients, advanced full-scale simulators, and actors simulating patients were used. Initial airway, breathing, and antidotal treatment were performed successfully, with or without full protective gear. The gas mask did not interfere with orotracheal intubation, but limited effective communication within the medical team. Chemical protective gloves were the limiting factor in the performance of medical tasks such as fixing the orotracheal tube. Twenty-two participants (88%) pointed out that the simulated cases represented realistic problems in this scenario, and all 25 participants found the simulated-based training superior to previous traditional training they had in this field. Using advanced simulation, we were able to train anesthesiologists to treat nerve gas intoxication casualties and to learn about the limitations of providing medical care in this setting. IMPLICATIONS: Advanced medical simulation can be used to train anesthesiologists to treat nonconventional warfare casualties. The limitations of medical performance in full protective gear can be learned from this training.

Anesthesiology↗

PubMed2003

[Advanced patient simulators in pre-hospital trauma management training--the trainees' perspective].

BACKGROUND: Computerized Human Patient Simulators (HPS's) have been increasingly utilized to improve and assess medical performance during critical scenarios. AIMS: To evaluate the utilization of advanced HPS's for trauma management training in pre-hospital setting. METHODS: Four scenarios representing frequent critical events in the pre-hospital trauma treatment were developed using the METI (Medical Education Technologies Inc, Gainesville, Florida) and SimMan (Laerdal, Stavanger, Norway) HPS's. Reserve and regular army medical teams encountered the scenarios, which were all fully videotaped. The A-V recording of the training sessions was used in the debriefing session conducted by experts in trauma care immediately after the encounters. At the end of the workshop, all participants filled in a personal feedback questionnaire. RESULTS: Sixty-six physicians and 16 emergency medical technicians participated in the study. Seventy-eight members (95%) of this group had participated in a previous Advanced Trauma Life Support course, 63 (77%) during the two years before the study. Only 6 (7.3%) of the participants treat trauma cases daily, and 7 (8.5%) more treat such cases at least once in two weeks. Seventy-two (82.8%) of the participants pointed out that the scenarios represent true trauma cases, and the same number reported that the video-based debriefing was excellent or very good. Sixty-four participants (78%) reported that the simulator training improved their decision-making, 54 (65.8%) claimed that it improved their manual skills, and only 47 (57.5%) believed they gained new knowledge. Eighty participants (97.5%) recommended simulator-based training as part of future training and performance assessment. CONCLUSIONS: According to this preliminary subjective study, simulator-based training may be used as a tool in improving the competency of medical teams in treating trauma victims in pre-hospital settings.

Computer Simulation↗

PubMed2002

An acute care skills evaluation for graduating medical students: a pilot study using clinical simulation.

PURPOSE: This investigation aimed to explore the measurement properties of scores from a patient simulator exercise. METHODS: Analytic and holistic scores were obtained for groups of medical students and residents. Item analysis techniques were used to explore the nature of specific examinee actions. Interrater reliability was calculated. Scores were contrasted for third year medical students, fourth year medical students and emergency department residents. RESULTS: Interrater reliabilities for analytic and holistic scores were 0.92 and 0.81, respectively. Based on item analysis, proper timing and sequencing of actions discriminated between low- and high-ability examinees. In general, examinees with more advanced training obtained higher scores on the simulation exercise. CONCLUSION: Reliable and valid measures of clinical performance can be obtained from a trauma simulation provided that care is taken in the development and scoring of the scenario.

Analysis of Variance↗