Training for the New Health Needs
High Fidelity Simulation is a healthcare education methodology that involves the use of sophisticated life-like manikins (sometimes called mannequins) in realistic patient environments. Simulation scenarios can take place anywhere. Considering the difficulties that the Health Care Education Institutions have in accessing specific clinical setting for practicum activities and internships, LVTC has, through a grant from the Ministry of Education, purchased two complex manikins, which are also known as human patient simulators or high-fidelity simulators mimic human anatomy and physiology.
These high fidelity manikins that have pulses, BP, breathe, lung sounds, heart sounds, pulse oximetry and a monitor that can display EKG, arterial waveforms, pulmonary artery waveforms, etc. These manikins can be used to create and allow participants to practice procedures such as CPR, bag-mask ventilation, intubation, defibrillation, chest tube placement and others.
The use of high fidelity manikins provides a high level of realism to simulation, allowing complex medical scenarios to be performed in a safe and regulated environment. This is done without risks to patients, and re-enforces the learning process.
Most high-fidelity manikins are operated by specially trained simulation technologists in a separate control room. The operator can view the progress of the scenario and make changes to the simulator as the session progresses. Typically, an educator or content expert will also be present in the control room directing the educational component of the scenario. Learners must respond to changes in the manikin and not from instructor cues. High-fidelity manikins create more realistic clinical scenarios and thus aid the learner.
This project will allow LVTC to support the Training of the simulation Technologist as well as the pedagogical and teaching team.
Since the simulation laboratory will be accessible to all English-speaking health students from all levels of learning (vocational, college and university), this will allow this students to practice realistic clinical situations in their mother-tongue before going into the French practicums that are held in a French speaking environment (CIUSSS-Estrie CHUS). At LVTC, during the internal practicum activities that are held in English, in the simulation lab, we have the support of a French language teacher that works closely with the teachers and students in order to prepare the students for their external internships, that are held in a French-speaking environment. We will be able to measure the rate of success of our students, since we have begun this in march 2023. The students from the first cohort will be beginning their internships, in French, in January 2024 and finishing their vocational training program in June 2024. The French teacher is working closely with 6 students.