High-Fidelity Simulation: How to get the most out of it?

Newton, Jon

Abstract

Simulation-Based-Learning (SBL) is a rapidly developing discipline within contemporary healthcare education, especially amongst teaching and learning institutions wishing to be recognised as leaders of ‘practice-led’ education. The necessity to optimise the delivery of SBL has heightened in recent years due to dwindling numbers of practice-placement educators within the ambulance service, increased university student recruitment and a shortfall in non-ambulance placement provision. Despite these challenges, ensuring learners master those ‘harder to reach’ elements of the curriculum remains crucial. Seldom will the confines of the traditional lecture theatre accomplish this; and whilst clinical skills suites may foster ‘muscle memory’ acquisition, rarely will it cultivate any mastery in critical thinking.

High-fidelity simulation is a widely misunderstood concept within teaching and learning, yet what [perhaps] can be agreed upon, is that it represents the most realistic, ‘life-like’ type of SBL. In recent years, I have been fortunate enough to push the boundaries within this field of practice, and project lead a range of the largest, multi-disciplinary major incident simulations conducted in the UK to date. The latest of these, titled Operation CHOLINERGIC, represents an agricultural disaster involving a group of 24 contractors who become unsuspecting victims of organophosphate poisoning.

• Acceptance Date: Nov 14, 2024
• Publication Date: Dec 2, 2024
• Deposit Date: Dec 2, 2024
• Issue: December 2024
• Pages: 20-22
• Keywords: Paramedic, Simulation, Major Incident
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/13503092
• Publisher URL: https://collegeofparamedics.co.uk/