Biomedical subjects

Vicki R LeBlanc

Publications and source records attributed to Vicki R LeBlanc.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

Limiting the playing field: does restricting the number of possible diagnoses reduce errors due to diagnosis-specific feature identification?

INTRODUCTION: Diagnostic hypotheses influence the identification of clinical features by medical trainees. This influence is strong enough to lead students to interpret features incorrectly if the initial diagnostic suggestion is incorrect. In the present study, we investigated whether reducing the pool of possible diagnoses at the time of test to a few highly plausible alternatives would focus the search for and interpretation of clinical features on a few alternative diagnoses and, as a result, reduce the influence of an initial diagnostic hypothesis on feature identification. METHODS: Naive students were taught 10 electrocardiographic (ECG) diagnoses. At test, they were asked to report all features visible on new ECGs. The test ECGs were presented with the suggestion of a tentative diagnosis (either the correct diagnosis or a plausible alternative) under 2 conditions: students were either instructed that the ECG represented one of 3 possible diagnoses (which were explicitly mentioned), or they were instructed that the ECG might represent any of the 10 diagnoses learned. RESULTS: Students' identification of the ECG features was strongly influenced by the diagnostic suggestion. Reducing the number of alternatives available at the time of test did not reduce the impact of a diagnostic suggestion on feature interpretation. DISCUSSION: Increasing the salience of alternative hypotheses does not reduce the impact of a diagnostic suggestion on the interpretation of clinical features.

Bias↗

PubMed2004

A preliminary study in using virtual reality to train dental students.

This study compared virtual reality simulator-enhanced training with laboratory-only practice on the development of dental technical skills. Sixty-eight students were randomly assigned to practice their skills in either a traditional preclinical dentistry laboratory or in combination with a virtual reality simulator. The results indicate that students who trained with the virtual reality simulator between six and ten hours improved significantly more than did the students in the control group from the first examination of the year to the final examination of the year. These results indicate that the use of virtual reality simulators holds promise for the training of future dentists. Additional research is necessary to determine the ideal implementation of virtual reality simulators into traditional dentistry curricula.

Clinical Competence↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Paramedic performance in calculating drug dosages following stressful scenarios in a human patient simulator.

BACKGROUND: Paramedics face many stressors in their work environment. Studies have shown that stress can have a negative effect on the psychological well-being of health professionals. However, there is little published research regarding the effects of stress on the cognitive skills necessary for optimal patient care. OBJECTIVES: The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of acute stress on the emotional response and performance of paramedics. Furthermore, the authors explored whether a paramedic's level of training or years of experience would mediate the effects of stress on performance. METHODS: Paramedic performances in calculating drug dosages were compared in two stress conditions. In the low-stress condition, 30 paramedics calculated the drug dosages in a quiet classroom free of any stressor. In the high-stress condition, the same paramedics calculated comparable drug dosages immediately after working through a challenging scenario with a human patient simulator. RESULTS: The paramedics obtained lower accuracy scores in the high-stress condition than in the low-stress condition [43% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 36.9-49.2) vs. 58% (95% CI: 48.6-67.1), p < 0.01 based on univariate analysis]. Neither work experience nor level of training predicted the individual differences in the stress-induced performance decrements. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the types of stressors encountered in clinical situations can increase medical errors, even in highly experienced individuals. These findings underline the need for more research to determine the mechanisms by which stress influences clinical performance, with the ultimate goal of targeting education or technologic interventions to those tasks, situations, and individuals most likely to benefit from such interventions.

Adaptation, Psychological↗