[Advanced simulation for primary care paediatricians. Development of an itinerant program and opinions of participants].
OBJECTIVE
Advanced simulation (AS) is a teaching methodology that has shown to be useful for training health staff at hospital level; however, its application in primary care paediatrics is very limited. Our objective was the development of an AS project focused on the learning needs of the primary care paediatricians, as well as to know the participants' opinions as one of the elements to assess its appropriateness.


METHODS
Phase 1: A multidisciplinary working group was organized and sponsored by the SEPEAP to design and put the course into practice. Phase 2: Itinerant courses were carried out in several cities in Spain. At the end of each course, a survey was carried out that was focused on motivation aspects, pertinence of contents and methodology. Each item was scored on a numerical scale from 0 (very bad) to 10 (very good).


METHODS
May 2008 to May 2009.


RESULTS
After analysing the potential learning needs of target population, available time, teaching material available and methodology of simulation and debriefing, a course model was designed and the cases were programmed. Twelve courses were carried out in 12 cities. The total number of participants was 186; of them, 177 (95.2%) answered the survey. Mean+/-SD scores for main items were: organization (9.23+/-0.50), objectives related to prior expectation (9.29+/-0.43), usefulness of course program to work activity (9.42+/-0.43), cases that resemble reality (9.18+/-0.42) and good instructors-participants relationship (9.68+/-0.20).


CONCLUSIONS
The AS course for primary care paediatrics, with the proposed format, is feasible and well adapted to the needs of the target population. Primary care paediatricians consider this type of teaching and learning activity as a useful tool for their continuing education and for improving their professional abilities.
Sánchez Santos
L
L
Centro de Saúde de Arzúa, Programa de formación mediante simulación avanzada de la Sociedad Española de Pediatría de Atención Primaria (SEPEAP), Coruña, España.
Rodríguez Núñez
A
A
Iglesias Vázquez
J A
JA
Civantos Fuentes
E
E
Couceiro Gianzo
J
J
Rodríguez Suárez
J
J
Fernández Sanmartín
M
M
D003198:Computer Simulation; D003479:Curriculum; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000379:methods; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000193:education*; D011320:Primary Health Care; D013030:Spain