Was COVID-19 a heyday for education? Lessons learned from a COVID-19 “pop-up” simulation developed overnight

Abstract

Introduction

To adjust for the COVID-19 pandemic’s rapidly changing guidelines and clinical needs, educators turned to simulation to create realistic yet safe environments for drilling and innovating various care strategies. Individually, institutions faced creating a pathway for deploying new behaviors and techniques widely across their populace.

Methods

In response to this need, we rapidly developed an interprofessional teaching curriculum for safe intubation techniques and donning/doffing of personal protection equipment to anesthesiology clinicians and technicians. Participants were taught using Roussin’s Zone 1 simulation techniques including coaching from interprofessional facilitators. Survey data were collected from participants.

Results

Participants’ confidence levels increased, with coaching and the use of simulation cited as the most useful elements of the training.

Conclusions

We believe COVID-19 catalyzed many educational initiatives, and though teams drew their own roadmaps to create programs, sharing the learning from these endeavors may inform future similar situations. Lessons of stakeholder buy-in, use of multidisciplinary teams, and building a psychologically safe space can promote rapid uptake of new techniques and technologies.

Keywords:

• COVID-19
• education
• multidisciplinary teams
• simulation

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to acknowledge Nancy Wyman, RN, and Stephanie Lankford, CRNA, for their efforts in the development and facilitation of this curriculum.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

The authors report no funding or conflicts of interest.