The assessment and treatment of the acutely ill patient - the role of the patient simulator as a teaching tool in the undergraduate programme

The assessment and treatment of the acutely ill patient is an essential part of the role of the pre-registration house officer, and research has demonstrated that management of such patients in the ward setting is often sub-optimal. However, this is an area which is difficult to teach at an undergraduate level, particularly without exposing patients to unnecessary risk. A patient simulator such as the SimMan could allow these issues to be addressed in a safe, reproducible and controlled environment. A protocol for the assessment and treatment of the acutely ill patient was designed. This was then implemented using a series of three teaching sessions during which small groups of final year medical students took part in simulated clinical scenarios on the SimMan mannequin. A questionnaire was administered to participating students before and after teaching to assess their perceived confidence and competence in a number of areas deemed important for newly qualified house officers. Data from 23 students were obtained and demonstrated a significant improvement in students' perceived levels of confidence and competence following training on the simulator. Feedback from students was extremely positive with all students reporting that sessions were a valuable addition to the final year programme. The SimMan allows students to gain knowledge and skills in a vital area of clinical practice which hitherto had been poorly covered within the curriculum. The sessions will be incorporated into the teaching programme for all future final-year students.