Emergency Department team resuscitation training through online simulation - A novel approach

Abstract

Background Simulation training, an important component of the Emergency Medicine (EM) training curriculum, was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic due to social distancing policies. As a result, there was a need to find alternative approaches to medical simulation that could facilitate effective teaching and practising of team resuscitation. Objectives This paper describes an alternative approach to face-to-face simulation teaching due to pandemic-related limitations. Methods We conducted a virtual simulation session for nine junior doctors (medical officers, emergency medicine residents, and internal medicine residents). The sessions were carried out through video conferencing and medical simulation software. The session included pre-class readings, prior briefing on what to expect during the simulation case scenario, running of three case scenarios, team debriefing, and post-class feedback of the session conducted via Google Forms. Results Student feedback was obtained via a post-class survey. Feedback was largely positive as most participants found the session interactive and the pre-specified outcomes during the pre-simulation brief were achieved. Most participants also felt that fully online simulation training was an effective alternative to face-to-face simulation training. Conclusions A virtual simulation method is a feasible alternative to face-to-face simulation amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope to increase awareness of this mode of teaching in the broader medical education community to benefit more learners.