Simulation in healthcare : journal of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Design, development, and evaluation of an online virtual emergency department for training trauma teams.
Training interdisciplinary trauma teams to work effectively together using simulation technology has led to a reduction in medical errors in emergency department, operating room, and delivery room contexts. High-fidelity patient simulators (PSs)-the predominant method for training healthcare teams-are expensive to develop and implement and require that trainees be present in the same place at the same time. In contrast, online computer-based simulators are more cost effective and allow simultaneous participation by students in different locations and time zones. In this pilot study, the researchers created an online virtual emergency department (Virtual ED) for team training in crisis management, and compared the effectiveness of the Virtual ED with the PS. We hypothesized that there would be no difference in learning outcomes for graduating medical students trained with each method. ⋯ This study shows the potential value of using virtual learning environments for developing medical students' and resident physicians' team leadership and crisis management skills.