Connecting Healthcare Students in a High

Fidelity Trauma Simulation

Morag Howard

Laura Binnie

School of

Health Sciences

Festival of LearningApril 2015

• Medical Students

• Diagnostic Radiography Students

• Nursing Students

• Faculty

Communication

Teamworking

Safety

In the beginning……• Research indicates radiography graduates feel unprepared for

multi-trauma imaging (1) and that 70-80% of healthcare errors are due to poor teamwork and communication particularly in the trauma setting (2)

• ‘Hands on’ undergraduate experience not always available due to pressurised trauma environment

• Low fidelity trauma simulation introduced in year 2 of diagnostic radiography programme

Student feedbackSmall focus group (n=5) plus one interview

Positives• Low fidelity simulation seen as beneficial• Development of empathy• More prepared for trauma setting• Awareness of own role• Fun learning experience with peers

Student feedback

Negatives• Lack of awareness of other trauma team

member’s roles• Low fidelity simulation lacked realism• Not fully prepared for trauma setting• Experience not challenging enough

Student needs• More realistic setting• High fidelity simulation• Inter-professional learning• A challenge!

Led to discussions with neighbouring university and other schools within our faculty

What we did• ‘In situ’ • High fidelity• Inter-professional• Trauma simulations – 2 scenarios• Faculty collaboration from two Universities -

specialists within their own disciplines in trauma

• 2nd year radiography, 2/3rd year nursing and 4th year medical students

Use of technology• SimMan 3G Trauma (Laerdal)• IPad • Mobile x-ray machine and accessory

equipment• ‘GoPro’ camera

Use of technology for student assessment

• Continued technology theme for radiography student assessment (Trauma radiography module)

• Students (in small groups) constructed a Wiki on the topic of the ‘Trauma team’

Example of Wiki page

TimetablingAvailability of resus room Resource intensiveSustainability

Challenges• Preparedness for practice within

trauma setting using technology to create realism

• Awareness of own role and other professionals within trauma team

• Team-working and communication – connecting healthcare students

• Simultaneous specialist feedback• Collaboration between two

Universities

Benefits

Moving forward…• All healthcare students voiced the need for more high

fidelity simulation in other complex care areas such as theatre and CT

• A large scale simulation in ITU setting involving more healthcare disciplines??

• GoPro technology creates innovative possibilities to develop clinical skills at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels

• Using these new technologies to further develop our CPD/Postgraduate courses offering both blended and online learning

Conclusions

The use of technology can…

• Nurture team-working• Improve self awareness and communication• Develop an effective collaborative workforce• Ultimately optimise patient outcomes

References

1. MACKAY, S, ANDERSON, A, and HOGG, P. 2008. Preparedness for clinical practice- perceptions of graduates and their work supervisors. Radiography 14;226-32

2. COURTENAY, M., NANCARROW, S, and DAWSON, D. 2013. Interprofessional teamwork in the trauma setting: a scoping review. Human Resources for Health. 11; 57 published online 2013 November 5.doi. 10.1186/1478-4491-11-57

Thank you for listening

Any questions?