title: Use of clinical simulation centers in health professions schools for patient-centered research.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Professional practice assessment research performed in clinical simulation centers is a research method that also creates opportunity for multidisciplinary investigator collaboration.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nursing and pharmacy school clinical simulation laboratories at the University of Utah were used to conduct time-and-motion (TM) studies of medication dispensing and administration. Time data were then used to determine personnel and supply costs associated with different medication dosage forms and delivery methods. A case study from a completed research project describes the use of TM and activity-based costing analyses to assess medication preparation and administration time and cost differences related to three proton pump inhibitor dosage forms. Standardized doses were prepared by pharmacists or technicians and subsequently administered by nurses to a mannequin in the simulation center by seven different administration scenarios. Simulation scenarios were developed in a manner that held the independent variables constant, so that time and cost differences between dosage forms and administrations methods could be quantified.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A detailed example of one approach to use of simulation centers for TM studies and activity-based costing analyses is provided. The advantages of isolating processes of interest from the day-to-day complexity of patient care are shown. Results illustrate how simulations based on professional school simulation centers may be used to assess health care processes at the microlevel with potential for projection to the macrolevel.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Studies based on health professional schools simulation centers may offer a novel method of evaluating health care processes at the microlevel.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacotherapy, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, 30 South 2000 East, Room 258, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-5820, USA. nancy.nickman@pharm.utah.edu
authors.forename: Nancy A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Nickman
authors.forename: Sandra W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Haak
authors.forename: Jaewhan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003479:Curriculum; D004522:Educational Status; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008348:Manikins; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000379:methods*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012579:Schools, Nursing; D012580:Schools, Pharmacy; D013338:Students, Nursing; D013339:Students, Pharmacy; D013996:Time and Motion Studies; D014589:Utah; D014743:Videotape Recording
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors