Abstract
The use of simulation in the training of healthcare professionals has become an essential part of the educational experience. Students and practitioners need to learn a variety of technical, interpersonal, and clinical judgment skills to be effective healthcare practitioners. Virtual simulation can provide an effective training method to facilitate learning and can be targeted to develop specific skills in the area of Interprofessional Education (IPE). This chapter reviews the literature around simulation techniques and outlines a development process that can be used to develop virtual simulations to meet a variety of learning objectives including IPE. Specific issues and solutions are also presented to ensure a successful educational experience.
TopBackground
Patient safety is currently one of the most urgent issues facing our health care systems. Beginning with the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) (Kohn, Corrigan, & Donaldson, 2000) report on patient safety in which it was reported up to 98,000 people die each year because of medical errors, patient safety has become an urgent concern for both health care administrators and those educating the future generation of health care providers. The IOM (2003) has made recommendations on health care education focused around their vision, “All health professionals should be educated to deliver patient-centered care as members of an interdisciplinary team, emphasizing evidence-based practice, quality improvement approaches and informatics” (http://www.jointcommission.org/sentinel_event.aspx). Many factors including how different professions train their students to communicate create the challenges in communication that currently exist between physicians and nurses in particular (Leonard, Graham, & Bonacum, 2004).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Effective Communication: Communication between two or more individuals that results in a good outcome.
Clinical Reasoning: The ability for the learner to use previous knowledge and skills and apply those to a new situation.
Patient Safety: Patients do not suffer any harm during their care.
Exemplar: An example that highlights the specific action you want the learner to replicate.
Simulation: A technique used to re-create a realistic environment for learners to practice skills.
Learning Framework: A guide to use when developing learning activities.
Virtual Simulations: Simulations conducted in an on-line, 3D computer environment.