Healthcare Simulation Week
In celebration of Healthcare Simulation Week, we delve into the impact of simulation training to improve patient care.
Medical professionals strive to give their patients the highest quality of care, and ensure their safety and wellbeing during diagnosis and treatment, whatever the setting.
According to a study in 2020 in the US (Rate of Preventable Mortality in Hospitalized Patients: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, by Rodwin, et al), there are “approximately 22,165 preventable deaths annually and 7,150 deaths for patients with greater than 3-month life expectancy”.
HOW CAN SIMULATION TRAINING HELP WITH THESE FIGURES?
Let’s use the Clean Bleed™ Mat as an example:
Realistic exercises
Being able to create a specific scenario, as well as the necessary variety that might not be available to them in a clinical setting, widens learning opportunities.
Combining the PROMPT Flex birthing trainer with the Clean Bleed® Mat gives multiple points of reference for diagnosis and treatment. Including a simulated patient, also aids in the development of communication skills while treating a patient.
Practicing medical procedures with blood loss
Blood, and other fluids, are essential diagnosis tools during training. But free flowing liquids generally aren’t easy to deal with from safety and hygiene perspectives.
Using the Clean Bleed™ Mat and simulated blood is a safe and controllable way for trainees to learn about what blood loss can indicate.
Trainers can control the amount of blood flowing through the pump, to the mat. Reducing the flow could indicate success in a procedure, increasing it could be used to show the consequences of an incorrect action, or the need to diagnose a secondary injury.
Teamwork to improve learning
Teamwork is an important part of success when treating patients. Collaborating on diagnosis and treatment helps trainees build on their learnings in the early stages of their courses.
Simulation training gives you a safe environment for learning. The trainer can pause the blood flow and discuss the next steps of treatment with the group before restarting the exercise.
Confidence through repeatable training
Practice makes perfect, as they say. Scenarios that result in negative, or less than optimal outcomes, can be reset and retested. Simulation models are designed to last for repeated uses. Each Clean Bleed™ Mat – Blood and Fluid Loss Simulator comes with 10 Absorbency Pads and 2 Bags that can be easily changed at the end of their life, and replacements are available to top up your stock.
Every session, the Trainer can set up a new scenario to help build on student skills. This allows them to work through the exercise again to identify the potential treatments and results, building confidence in skills and diagnosis.
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