Trauma assessment training with a patient simulator: a prospective, randomized study.
BACKGROUND
Patient simulators are computer-controlled mannequins that may increase realism during trauma training by providing real-time changes in vital signs and physical findings during trauma scenarios. We hypothesized that trauma assessment training on a patient simulator would be as effective as training with a more traditional moulage patient/actor.


METHODS
This study was conducted during a surgery intern orientation at two academic trauma centers. Interns (n = 60) attended a basic trauma course, and were then randomized to trauma assessment practice sessions with either the patient simulator (n = 30) or a moulage patient (n = 30). After practice sessions, interns were randomized a second time to an individual trauma assessment test on either the simulator or the moulage patient. Two surgeon-judges rated each intern live and on video for completion of 50 predetermined assessment objectives (total score) divided into sections (primary and secondary survey, general performance, diagnostic studies/procedures, and plan) and the identification and management of an acute neurologic deterioration in the test patient (event score). Multiple linear regression with random student effects was used to estimate the independent effects of all study variables.


RESULTS
Within randomized groups, mean trauma assessment test scores for all simulator-trained interns were higher when compared with all moulage-trained interns (71 +/- 8 vs. 66 +/- 8, respectively; p = 0.02). Simulator training independently showed a small but statistically significant improvement in both the total score and the event score (+4.6 and +8.6, respectively; p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Use of a patient simulator to introduce trauma assessment training is feasible and compares favorably to training in a moulage setting. Continued research in this area of physician education is warranted.
Lee
Seong K
SK
Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California 94110, USA.
Pardo
Manuel
M
Gaba
David
D
Sowb
Yasser
Y
Dicker
Rochelle
R
Straus
Erica M
EM
Khaw
Linda
L
Morabito
Diane
D
Krummel
Thomas M
TM
Knudson
M Margaret
MM
D004521:Educational Measurement; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D016014:Linear Models; D016544:Patient Simulation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014193:Trauma Centers; D014194:Traumatology / Q000193:education*