Boston Simulation Community Research and Education Meeting

At this meeting, hosted at the Center for Medical Simulation by Roxane Gardner and colleagues, we will have two presentations from two different presenters: Dr. Nicolas Thibodeau-Jarry and Dr. Mark P. Ottensmeyer.

• Can Self-Debriefing Lead To Similar Improvements As Facilitated Debriefing When Used In Medical Simulation? presented by Dr. Nicolas Thibodeau-Jarry, Adult Cardiologist, MMSc. Medical Education Candidate, Harvard Medical School (2017)

Simulation has gained popularity in recent years as an adjunct to clinical exposure. However, much remains unknown about the best way to deliver debriefing effectively at the end of a simulated case. Also, finding leaders for debriefing can be challenging for some institutions. Self-debriefing, a type of debriefing where the learners debrief by themselves without the help of a facilitator, might be an answer to this problem. Only one large study so far has evaluated self-debriefing as compared with faculty-led debriefing. This study showed promising results, but had some limitations.

We have developed a new self-debriefing tool that can be used by learners to self-debrief, without the need for a facilitator. This tool is an interactive PowerPoint that allows learners to navigate through subjects of interest. We have compared this self-debriefing tool to debriefing done by second-year residents in a randomized trial with 50 interns at the Massachusetts General Hospital. The primary outcome of the study was overall performance of the interns in a second simulated case after a first case and debriefing, as rated by three blinded senior internal medicine residents. The opinion of interns on the self-debriefing tool was also recorded using questionnaires. The results of this study will be presented.

• Update on SimSuit – Wearable Sim Components for Mannequins and Standardized Patients: Prototype Component Demo and Review, presented by Dr. Mark P. Ottensmeyer, Director, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Simulation Group, Dept. of Radiology and Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School.

The MGH Simulation Group has been working to develop a series of vital signs modules to enhance low cost or legacy mannequins or provide basic functionality to simple articulated mannequins. These include pulse modules, an eye motion/blinking display, a chest motion system, body sounds and vocalization elements, and a vitals monitor. We are in the process of unifying the elements into a wearable suit, which combines the components, each of which is battery powered and controlled over WiFi from a common instructor control panel. This presentation will include an overview of the system and the opportunity for hands-on demonstration of basic functions, followed by a survey form for collecting feedback on the experience of the components.

NDA docs – in process:

The SimSuit components include designs and features that have not yet been patent protected. As a result, we will be asking all non-Partners attendees to fill out and sign non-disclosure statements (see attached document) to preserve future patentability; Partners employees have already signed equivalent statements upon joining their respective institutions. We ask that attendees not discuss the details of the presentation until after the video-taped session is posted to the CMS web site, likely in Spring 2017. A representative of Partners Innovation will be on hand to explain and field questions about the NDA process.

About Boston Simulation Community Research and Education Meetings

The meetings provide a friendly and informal venue for simulation educators and researchers to present work-in-progress, problem solve and share best practices, acquaint each other with relevant ideas from other disciplines and connect with others.