171 Ashley Ave.
Charleston, SC 29425
843-792-1414
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August 2008
Dear faculty, Children's Hospital staff and other friends,
As I was talking to Dr. Bowman and Dr. Dobson this past week, it dawned on me that the power of simulation training will allow us to revolutionize "humane learning." Of course, "humane learning" is not a term that is prevalent, but the idea of being able to learn how to do life saving, but extremely painful procedures on simulation machines is extremely appealing. I remember the first time, I as a medical student was asked to go and draw blood from a small infant with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia. These children had a marked amount of dehydration and the dryness made it difficult. I knew that the answers the blood would bring would help to save this child's life, but the blood drawing that could only be accomplished after shaving the head of a very uncomfortable and writhing infant was a pain that should not have been inflicted by a novice.
Today, we are moving into the "Simulation Revolution." By using a very sophisticated and varied number of mannequins and simulators, it is possible to draw blood in a simulated situation. It is possible to learn how to resuscitate a patient who is having a cardiac arrest, or put a chest tube into the chest cavity to drain an empyema. This new and more humane training will allow generations of trainees to develop their skills before trying their first procedure on a child or adult patient.
These very sophisticated machines allow preceptors to simulate complete scenarios, such as a cardiac arrest, a pneumothorax, and an intrabdominal hemorrhage. I cannot tell you how many of these procedures I have had to perform with little supervision and no significant practice before being asked to go to the bedside for real. I love this new technology. I hope that we will soon be at a point where it will be possible to showcase this in one of our next newsletters.
With the greatest respect for the learner and the patient, this leap into high tech wizardry will be a remarkable advance in patient care and in learning how to teach procedures without pain and with much gain.
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Sincerely,
L. Lyndon Key, MD
Chair, Department of Pediatrics |
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