Virtual simulation can provide high-quality learning experiences through innovative and engaging activities while also overcoming some of the constraints associated with physical simulation. We developed a virtual community, called Birley Place, to facilitate simulation-based learning activities. Adopting a novel approach, we modelled the virtual community on the large metropolitan city in which our institution is based. Publicly available health and population data were used to ensure that the homes, businesses and services in the community were representative of distinct socioeconomic areas of our city. The residents of the virtual community were also matched with the real-world areas based on health and lifestyle data. Our virtual community is used to facilitate learning activities across our health and social care degree programmes. In this article, we summarise how we developed Birley Place, before providing one example of how it is used to facilitate the delivery of a large-scale interprofessional education project. Birley Place is an innovative tool for delivering online and virtual simulation. The use of this virtual community facilitates learners' understanding of the connection between settings and health status.
Correspondence to Dr Nancy McNaughton, Centre for Learning, Innovation and Simulation, Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences, Toronto, ON M5T 1V4, Canada;nmcnaughton565@gmail com Introduction The authors of ‘a manifesto for healthcare simulation practice’ have crafted a call to action for the healthcare simulation community in response to the COVID-19 pandemic 1 They rightly point to the unprecedented disruption and chaos that this crisis has wrought in our personal lives, our societies and most acutely in healthcare Within the manifesto, simulationists are being called to incorporate ‘a more comprehensive understanding of healthcare simulation beyond tool, technique or experience and instead recognise it as a professional practice’ with attendant responsibilities and accountabilities 1 These responsibilities include ‘adopting a commitment to comprehensive safety, to advocate collaboratively and lead ethically ’ By virtue of our location within health professional education contexts, standardised patients or more broadly simulated participants, (SPs) and simulationists negotiate a number of complex power relations Modern healthcare is complex, challenging and at times unpredictable [ ]it is important that we equip health professionals with skills to navigate and tolerate such complexities
BackgroundDespite the increasing use of immersive technology (IT) in ophthalmology, the effectiveness of this approach compared to other teaching practices is unclear. This systematic review aimed to determine the value of IT to teach students ophthalmic skills and whether it can supplement or replace conventional teaching practices.MethodsA systematic search was performed of CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, ERIC and PsychINFO databases. Randomised controlled trials comparing IT interventions versus (1) no training, (2) standard training, (3) different types of IT interventions, (4) different doses of IT interventions were eligible for inclusion.ResultsSeven trials involving 177 participants were included. IT offered some benefit compared to standard training as most trials demonstrated evidence of learning represented by composite performance score and performance time. Repetitive training with IT displayed similar results.ConclusionIT appears to improve the ophthalmic skill of healthcare trainees and should be considered as a supplement to training.
IntroductionSelf-efficacy is defined as people’s internal beliefs about their ability to have an impact on events that affect their lives. As part of the COVID-19 pandemic, we carried out in situ simulation for anaesthesiologists and operating room (OR) nurses. Simulation was focused on the recommendations on the use of specific personal protective equipment (PPE) as well as on airway management and intubation. We hypothesised that in situ procedural simulation should increase their perceived self-efficacy.MethodsBetween 16 March and 20 March 2020, 208 healthcare workers took part in in situ procedural simulation. A questionnaire was sent to participants on 21 April 2020. Six self-efficacy items related to PPE and airway manoeuvres were assessed before and after training on a Numeric Rating Scale from 0 to 10.ResultsSixty-seven participants (32%) replied to the questionnaire. The before–after comparison of the six items revealed an increase in perceived self-efficacy for each of them. A before training difference was observed between nurses, board-certified anaesthetists and trainees in anaesthesia in perceived self-efficacy for putting on (6 (3–8) vs 4.5 (2.25–6) vs 2 (0–6), p=0.007) and remove PPE (8 (5–8) vs 4.5 (3.25–6) vs 4 (1–6), p=0.009). No difference in perceived self-efficacy after training was observed between nurses, board-certified anaesthetists and trainees in anaesthesia.ConclusionsIn situ simulation improves the perceived self-efficacy of OR nurses and anaesthesiologists on specific skills related to the care of patients with COVID-19.
