A cost-effective, two-layer wound closure task trainer

Performing a two layer wound closure can be a challenging procedure in the Emergency Department for clinicians with limited wound care experience. Challenges include suture choice, suture placement, and the technique of burying the knot in the deep layer of the wound, and the availability of ready ‘volunteers’ with complex wounds willing to let novices practice on them. Commercially available suture models are expensive, and can be cumbersome to store, and difficult to obtain in a timely manner to provide the learner with opportunities to practice prior to wound repair on a patient in the department.

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By Rob Bryant MD|2016-12-19T11:02:01-08:00Apr 15, 2015|Expert Peer Reviewed (Clinical), Medical Education, Simulation, Trauma|

SimLIFE-EM Challenge: Add to the conversation

Debriefings in medical simulation are meant to be the bow on top of the gift that is medical simulation. It is the ultimate delicious dessert, served after a grueling dinner course. All analogies aside, debriefings are meant to drive home the teaching points, to gain a deeper understanding of medical resuscitation as a group, and create mental frameworks of the approach to various patients. But this is often easier described than actually done. We here at ALiEM paired with Dr. Henry Curtis to come up with a creative way of developing debriefing skills and gain deeper understanding of mental frameworks.

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By Nikita Joshi, MD|2016-11-07T12:40:10-08:00Aug 4, 2014|Medical Education, Simulation, Tox & Medications|

Simulation Trick of the Trade: Bleeding Cricothyroidotomy Model

One advantage of simulation as an educational tool is the re-creation of cognitive and emotional stresses in caring for patients. Doing this for a high fidelity scenario is relatively easy – add additional patients, make a them loud, combative, or otherwise cantankerous, and add interruptions for good measure. However, when training for procedures in the simulation lab, we practice the procedure in isolation on a “task trainer” without cognitive and emotional stress for context. An off-the-shelf task trainer can do a superb job of teaching the mechanics of performing a procedure, but they lack complexity necessary to train for performing the procedure under stress. (more…)

By Jeffrey Hill, MD|2016-11-11T19:21:07-08:00Jun 3, 2014|Medical Education, Simulation, Tricks of the Trade|

Improving debriefing skills: Two-column case and learning pathways grid

Being a learner in a medical simulation case can be tough. But equally challenging, is the role of the Debriefer. This person has to balance the important task of debriefing the small group, provide feedback, and still maintain a positive and open learning environment. A 2013 paper by Rudolph et al attempts to show methods how to balance these demands while improving as a Debriefer through the use of 2 Column Case Analysis and Learning Pathway Grid.

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By Nikita Joshi, MD|2016-11-11T19:19:57-08:00May 17, 2014|Expert Peer Review (Non-Clinical), Medical Education, Simulation|

Hands Up For Health: Simulation Extending to Community Education

Medical simulation is not just for the clinical learner. Rather, it can have far reaching impact and can contribute meaningfully to the community. In this post, Dr. Beth Thomas describes the work of Hands Up For Health which uses the power of simulation to reach young people.

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By Beth Thomas, BSc (Hons) MBBS|2016-11-11T19:19:38-08:00Mar 30, 2014|Medical Education, Simulation|

Simulation: A tool for non-clinicians

Thought simulation is only for doctors and nurses? Think again! More and more, people are reconsidering the notion that medical simulation has only application in the clinical setting. By rethinking the narrow mind set, educators are learning that simulation can be used almost anywhere for anyone! Even to teach sexual health to teenagers!

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By Nikita Joshi, MD|2016-11-20T12:54:09-08:00Jan 25, 2014|Simulation|

Back to the Basics in Medical Simulation: 11 Programmatic Factors

Let us start 2014 with renewed vigor and interest in simulation! To do that, I am going to take it way back and review the basics of simulation with a 2007 article that I consider landmark for understanding medical simulation and the role it plays in education by one of the leaders in the field, Dr. David Gaba.

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By Nikita Joshi, MD|2018-01-30T02:30:31-08:00Jan 11, 2014|Simulation|

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