Simulation is an educational process that can replicate clinical practices in a safe environment. It’s primary purpose is replacing real patient encounters with environments designed to simulate or replicate health scenarios. Medical and/or healthcare simulations,such as physical models, lifelike mannequins, standardized models, and virtual reality (VR) immersive environments offer promising, reliable, and cost-effective results.
Besides, medical & healthcare simulation is a cross-disciplinary system that focuses on realistic and cost-effective training, education, feedback, and debriefing methods. It allows students to practice repeatedly and evaluate processes and tasks in lifelike situations via physical mannequins and VR models.
These technologies range from low to high fidelity simulations, allowing learners to observe, identify, and understand various factors that control the system. At the same time, simulators can predict future behavior.
The primary purpose of medical & healthcare simulation is to develop,improve, and maintain clinical skills and prepare students for real-world environments without harming patients. Let us delve into further details. Readon!
How Does Medical Simulation Help?
Low fidelity and high fidelity simulations work effectively in different healthcare domains, including medicine, pediatrics, nursing, surgery, emergency care, life-saving, mental health, etc.
Simulation surpasses other training modules and processes in touching comprehensive skill sets that range from communication and interaction to teamwork and specific procedures in a healthcare setting.
Practice Psychomotor Skills
There are different simulation products, such as high fidelity and low fidelity. They are used for different purposes but both allow students to improve their skills and abilities to interact in complex medical environments.
For example, some low fidelity simulators, also known as task or skills trainers, represent a portion of a patient’s body, such as a limb, leg, spine, brain, etc. Students can use them to practice and improve their psychomotor skills, such as medication injection,intravenous access, and urinary catheter insertion. High fidelity simulation presents a whole environment where the user must deal with not just the task at hand but also have an awareness of what else is or could be happening.
Observational Responses and Interventions
Thanks to advanced technology,researchers and developers have collaborated to develop moderate-fidelity simulators to create a balance between low and high-fidelity products. Moderate simulators use computer technology to produce lung, heart, pulse, and bowel sounds, allowing students to perform accurate interventions.
Similarly, high fidelity simulation models allow students to practice observational responses and intervention toviable movements, palpable pulses, and speech. High fidelity simulations are highly effective because they enable students to collect data, analyze it, andgain insights to make informed decisions or modify interventional strategies.
Computer Generated Environment
Although there is a need for more research, virtual reality and augmented reality will completely transform medical simulation in healthcare. VR allows students to immerse in a computer-generated environment to help them experience tactile feedback when performing a specific medical procedure.
VR and AR also facilitate distancing learning. Several studies report that simulations via VR and AR improve students’ performance, enhance their self-confidence, and reduce anxiety/stress they face during a clinical procedure.
Final Words
Medical simulations have a controlled nature, meaning you can use them to mitigate risks and improve clinical outcomes by equipping students with state-of-the-art products that build up the depth of their knowledge and skills.