[Roland]

I remember seeing a show on Discovery Health last year where they interviewed a CT surgeon who said that computer integrated simulators were getting to the point where his students would put in thousands of hours on them before he ever let them touch a real patient with a knife.

Personally, I would prefer to put serious time on a simulator and then observe about a hundred procedures before ever actually touching a patient. Then again I was just explaining to my wife that I wish I could find a BSN program that spread the core classes out over eight semesters instead of five.

Is this a real possibility anytime soon in the world of anesthesia training? It works well for airline piolets why not health care workers?

[gotosleep]

Originally Posted by Roland

I remember seeing a show on Discovery Health last year where they interviewed a CT surgeon who said that computer integrated simulators were getting to the point where his students would put in thousands of hours on them before he ever let them touch a real patient with a knife.

Personally, I would prefer to put serious time on a simulator and then observe about a hundred procedures before ever actually touching a patient. Then again I was just explaining to my wife that I wish I could find a BSN program that spread the core classes out over eight semesters instead of five.

Is this a real possibility anytime soon in the world of anesthesia training? It works well for airline piolets why not health care workers?

we just got one at Bradley U. We haven't used it yet though.

[athomas91]

ours is pretty cool..... can change hr's, bp's...can laryngospasm....
but those dang plastic men are hard as heck to intubate...

[CRNA, DNSc]

METI Stimulators are now very detailed. The simulator "reads" barcoded syringes, calculates the amount given and demonstrates the appropriate vital sign changes based on the "patient's" conditions. Can be programed to do just about anything.

[Rhon1991]

I heard VCU has one (4 years now?) and Ive seen some describe it here somewhere.

[crna2bee]

TCU/TWU both have them. I have just been accepted and have not even seen them yet but I have been told that you begin using them the first semester. It seems to be a very exciting new tool. See TCU's CRNA site too see the simulator and it's history.

[Dave ARNP]

If you have an urge to play around with meds, you can go to http://www.anesoft.com/Products/as.asp

They have a pretty neat program.
Also have a sedation simulator.

Dave

[gwenith]

I posted a simulation of cardiac surgery the other day - it is fun but so far EVERYONE has "needed a lawyer"

[gooser]

SIU-E has one and it looked really interesting, I got to see it when I was there for my interview. I can't wait to use it. Sounds like it can simulate about any type of situation. It sure looks real.

[SRNAVic]

We've got one at Rush University here in Chicago...it definitely helps with the transition into actually doing something to a patient. We used ours exclusively for about 5 months before we even touched a patient, and I think it really helped. They're pretty realistic too (except to intubate--they are too stiff!) and have all of the vital sign and physiologic changes (like the eyes stop blinking and the patient stops breathing after you give your imaginary bar-code syringe of paralytic) that you would expect.

Vic