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The new equipment will be purchased in April 2009 to further enhance hospital–based training. The funds will create a training suite equipped to improve the coaching of staff in both simple skills and complex patient management situations.
Training and refresher courses for staff with this technology will provide a further boost for patient safety. The new simulation equipment will encourage staff to think on their feet and to follow procedures in the right order even in the most stressful situations.
Life-like manikins - or human patient simulators – provide the information and feedback that clinical staff use to decide to give a treatment or arrive at a diagnosis. Computer controlled and programmed by experienced clinical staff these simulators breathe and speak, and learners will be able to listen to the chest, palpate a pulse or measure blood pressure.
Adult-sized portable mannequins can simulate chronic disease and emergency health problems such as a serious asthma attack. Paediatric mannequins will be able to replicate a baby having a seizure, or a baby born not breathing.
Jon White, Senior Resuscitation Officer at Milton Keynes Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The new funding will provide staff with better training and enhance their confidence by providing more life-like situations. A range of skills undertaken throughout hospital wards and in procedure areas, such as the endoscopy unit or in operating theatres can be simulated.
“Training will be provided for doctors, nurses and other health professionals, such as physiotherapists. Multi-disciplinary training is seen as particularly valuable so that teams can practice or rehearse a situation.
“The equipment will enable staff to simulate simple treatments such as urinary catherisation as well as more complex procedures involving ultrasound. The aim is to improve patient safety. Sessions in the simulation centre will enhance the ability of staff to cope with variety of medical emergencies and procedures without fear of harming patients.”
Advances in technology and increased awareness of the benefits of simulation education have led to the Department of Health and the Healthcare Commission, the healthcare watchdog, endorsing its inclusion in the training of doctors and nurses.
Video and audio equipment will enable trainers to review and appraise the performance staff. Cameras and microphones mean that staff and instructors can watch and critically appraise performances.
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