The assessment and treatment of the acutely ill patient—the role of the patient simulator as a teaching tool in the undergraduate programme

Abstract

The assessment and treatment of the acutely ill patient is an essential part of the role of the pre-registration house officer, and research has demonstrated that management of such patients in the ward setting is often sub-optimal. However, this is an area which is difficult to teach at an undergraduate level, particularly without exposing patients to unnecessary risk. A patient simulator such as the SimMan could allow these issues to be addressed in a safe, reproducible and controlled environment. A protocol for the assessment and treatment of the acutely ill patient was designed. This was then implemented using a series of three teaching sessions during which small groups of final year medical students took part in simulated clinical scenarios on the SimMan mannequin. A questionnaire was administered to participating students before and after teaching to assess their perceived confidence and competence in a number of areas deemed important for newly qualified house officers. Data from 23 students were obtained and demonstrated a significant improvement in students’ perceived levels of confidence and competence following training on the simulator. Feedback from students was extremely positive with all students reporting that sessions were a valuable addition to the final year programme. The SimMan allows students to gain knowledge and skills in a vital area of clinical practice which hitherto had been poorly covered within the curriculum. The sessions will be incorporated into the teaching programme for all future final-year students.

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Jennifer MacDowall

JENNY MACDOWALL trained as a Specialist Registrar in Gastroenterology but has recently completed a Masters degree in Medical Education and the majority of her work is now in the field of undergraduate education. She is based at Blackburn Royal Infirmary and is involved in developing the educational programme for students on placement from the University of Manchester.