Objective: Neurosurgical boot camps allow trainees to hone practical skills in a risk-free environment, but the models and simulators used are relatively costly. In developing countries like the Philippines, low-cost alternatives have to be devised. The authors aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of using local, readily available, and inexpensive tropical fruits as surrogate models for basic neurosurgical skills training during a neurosurgical boot camp. Methods: Locally available tropical fruits were used to teach basic neurosurgical skills to trainees. Coconut, pomelo, and watermelon were used as models for head clamp application, scalp and dural suturing, and ventriculostomy, respectively. Feedback was obtained from the participants after the boot camp. Results: All eight residents thought that the boot camp was useful in learning new skills, and that the fruit models served their purpose. The trainees favored the fruit models that catered to the skill sets required according to level of training. The use of tropical fruits in the boot camp also provided an informal atmosphere that was conducive to learning. Conclusion The novel use of tropical fruits as surrogate models in basic neurosurgical skills training was a feasible and affordable alternative in resource-limited settings, although the activity was perceived to be more useful to junior than to senior residents. The informal atmosphere generated by the use of the fruits contributed to an improved learning experience for the trainee.
Teaching ; Simulation Training ;

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to review intervention programs for experienced nurses' job stress and mental health. METHODS: Searches of literature were conducted through four electronic databases (RISS, KISS, PubMed, and CINAHL), focusing on the recent 5-year publications in English or Korean. Thirteen studies were selected for the final analysis and Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network checklist was used to assess methodological rigor and quality. RESULTS: Randomized controlled trials were used in five studies and quasi-experimental designs in eight studies. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and group approach were the most frequent types of interventions in six and nine studies respectively. On average, the intervention was required for eight weeks and 60~120 minutes per session. After evaluating the effects of CBT, complementary alternative therapy, informative training, simulation training and stimuli control, most of the tested interventions reduced experienced nurses' job stress and improved mental health, but informative training did not. CONCLUSION: Despite the obvious importance of experienced nurses in quality of nursing care, it has not been well studied due to limited numbers of studies with less rigorous design. Study findings provide a basis for developing intervention programs to reduce job stress and improve mental health for experienced nurses.
Checklist ; Mental Health ; Nursing Care ; Simulation Training

A previous systematic review on osteoporosis knowledge published showed that only several studies investigated osteoporosis knowledge in health professionals, and it found that their knowledge was not as adequate and sufficient as it should be. Since then, studies published on osteoporosis knowledge among health professionals have also assessed and found that they still do not have adequate and sufficient osteoporosis knowledge. To increase and improve osteoporosis knowledge among health professionals, recommendations in osteoporosis education in the health professions, including the application of the cognitive load theory, online learning, problem-based learning, practical learning, simulation-based learning, interactive learning, and feedback are covered in order to ensure health professionals can have adequate and sufficient osteoporosis knowledge to best prevent and treat individuals with the disease.
Education* ; Health Occupations* ; Learning ; Osteoporosis* ; Problem-Based Learning ; Simulation Training

Plastic surgery training worldwide has seen a thorough restructuring over the past decade, with the introduction of formal training curricula and work-based assessment tools. Part of this process has been the introduction of revalidation and a greater use of simulation in training delivery. Simulation is an increasingly important tool for educators because it provides a way to reduce risks to both trainees and patients, whilst facilitating improved technical proficiency. Current microsurgery training interventions are often predicated on theories of skill acquisition and development that follow a 'practice makes perfect' model. Given the changing landscape of surgical training and advances in educational theories related to skill development, research is needed to assess the potential benefits of alternative models, particularly cross-training, a model now widely used in non-medical areas with significant benefits. Furthermore, with the proliferation of microsurgery training interventions and therefore diversity in length, cost, content and models used, appropriate standardisation will be an important factor to ensure that courses deliver consistent and effective training that achieves appropriate levels of competency. Key research requirements should be gathered and used in directing further research in these areas to achieve on-going improvement of microsurgery training.
Curriculum ; Education ; Humans ; Inservice Training ; Microsurgery ; Patient Simulation ; Surgery, Plastic

Although there are many commercially available training software programs for pharmacokinetics, they lack flexibility and convenience. In this study, we develop simulation software to facilitate pharmacokinetics education. General formulas for time courses of drug concentrations after single and multiple dosing were used to build source code that allows users to simulate situations tailored to their learning objectives. A mathematical relationship for a 1-compartment model was implemented in the form of differential equations. The concept of population pharmacokinetics was also taken into consideration for further applications. The source code was written using R. For the convenience of users, two types of software were developed: a web-based simulator and a standalone-type application. The application was built in the JAVA language. We used the JAVA/R Interface library and the ‘eval()’ method from JAVA for the R/JAVA interface. The final product has an input window that includes fields for parameter values, dosing regimen, and population pharmacokinetics options. When a simulation is performed, the resulting drug concentration time course is shown in the output window. The simulation results are obtained within 1 minute even if the population pharmacokinetics option is selected and many parameters are considered, and the user can therefore quickly learn a variety of situations. Such software is an excellent candidate for development as an open tool intended for wide use in Korea. Pharmacokinetics experts will be able to use this tool to teach various audiences, including undergraduates.
Education ; Indonesia ; Korea ; Learning ; Methods ; Pharmacokinetics ; Pliability ; Simulation Training

PURPOSE: The purposes of study was to evaluate the effect of debriefing using reflection questions and writing on the critical thinking disposition, self-efficacy, and clinical judgement ability in simulation of post-operative care of abdominal surgery. METHODS: The research method was a nonequivalent control group no-synchronized design. The study period was from August 22 to 30, 2016. The subjects were comprised of 34 people in the experimental group and 36 in the control group. In a simulation session for post-operative care of abdominal surgery, the treatment of the experimental group was to debrief for 30 minutes using Lasater's reflection questions and writing. For the control group, a typical debriefing was conducted in the same environment. RESULTS: Critical thinking disposition, self-efficacy, and clinical judgement were significantly higher in the experimental group than the control group. CONCLUSION: To enhance the critical thinking disposition, self-efficacy, and clinical judgement of nursing students in simulation, it is recommended to debrief using reflection questions and writing.
Humans ; Methods ; Patient Simulation ; Self Efficacy ; Simulation Training* ; Students, Nursing ; Thinking ; Writing*

OBJECTIVE: To develop a software based on "UniDental" system which is a virtual reality dental simulation system and applied to undergraduate majoring in stomatology to improve the ability of identifying caries. METHODS: A software was developed applying to identify virtual dental caries based on UniDental system. In the software, a virtual dental caries model was designed and carious tissue was separated to 3 layers by the depth. The stiffness was the same within each layer which was increasing gradually layer by layer. The roughness was also the same within each layer which was decreasing gradually layer by layer. Sixty-four participants in pre-clinical stage of the class of 2014 majoring in stomatology from Peking University School of Stomatology were trained with the software. During the training, the students should probe on the virtual dental carious tissue layer by layer and feel the difference of vertical stiffness and horizontal roughness of each layer by using a handpiece with realistic force feedback. After training, a questionnaire survey was conducted to evaluate the software including a score of 1-5 for haptic fidelity of stiffness and roughness and their relevant gradient and benefit of improving the ability of identifying caries, choosing the preferred training method. The data were statistically analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS: The median of subjective evaluation scores of the proposed metrics were all "4", demonstrating that the software operated above medium fidelity. The stiffness scores of all 3 layers were statistically significant (P < 0.05) on the stiffness gradient score. The roughness scores of the 1st and 2nd layers were statistically significant (P < 0.05) on the roughness gradient score. The training was helpful to improve the ability of identifying caries (median was 4). The scores of all 3 layers stiffness and relevant gradient were statistically significant (P < 0.05) on the score of benefit of improving the ability of identifying caries. 90.4% of the participants preferred the traditional extracted teeth training method. CONCLUSION The virtual reality dental simulation system was helpful to improve students' ability of identifying caries. It couldn't replace the traditional extracted teeth training method by now, it should be used as a supplement to the traditional training method.
Clinical Competence ; Computer Simulation ; Dental Caries/diagnosis* ; Dental Caries Susceptibility ; Humans ; Simulation Training ; User-Computer Interface ; Virtual Reality

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of web-based simulation and high-fidelity simulation on acute heart disease patient care. METHODS: The project used a comparative study design with two simulation-based training modalities. A total of 144 nursing students participated in this study: 76 students in a web-based simulation, and 68 students in a high-fidelity simulation. Participants rated their self-efficacy, problem-solving ability, interest in learning, level of stress, satisfaction with the simulation experience, and level of difficulty of the simulation. RESULTS: The scores for self-efficacy, problem-solving ability, and interest in learning including interest in clinical training in the high-fidelity simulation group was higher than in the web-based simulation group. However, there were no significant differences in interest in learning, including interest in nursing knowledge, and in lab training, level of stress, satisfaction with the simulation experience, and level of difficulty of the simulation. CONCLUSION: A high-fidelity simulation of acute heart disease patient care might be beneficial to developing many more abilities for nursing students than would a web-based simulation. Also, since the web-based simulation improved interest in nursing knowledge, it could be a viable alternative to high-fidelity simulation. Further study is needed to verify the effects of varied levels of simulation-based care with more rigorous outcomes.
Heart Diseases* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Learning ; Nursing ; Patient Care* ; Simulation Training ; Students, Nursing

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate differences of pre-post simulation training in problem solving ability, performance confidence, and critical thinking skill according to degree of nursing students' self-leadership. METHODS: This study was a descriptive survey using a self-report questionnaire. One hundred eighty nursing students participated in this study which programed a simulation scenario of pre-post operative patients' care. Descriptive statistics, paired t-test, ANCOVA with IBM SPSS 21.0 program were used for data analysis. RESULTS: After the simulation training, both the above-average subjects and below-average subjects in self-leadership significantly improved their problem-solving ability, performance confidence, and critical thinking skill. compared with their previous level. The subjects who rated above-average in self-leadership, improved their degree of problem-solving ability, performance confidence, and critical thinking skill significantly more than those who were below-average in self-leadership. CONCLUSION: Self-leadership of nursing students is an important element in effective simulation training.
Humans ; Leadership ; Nursing* ; Problem Solving* ; Simulation Training* ; Statistics as Topic ; Students, Nursing* ; Thinking*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a Nursing Competency Scale in Simulation (NCSS) for nursing students. METHODS: A preliminary version of the NCSS of 14 items was derived from the literature. A panel of seven experts reviewed the preliminary version for content validation and developed 15 items scale. A convenient sample of 195 nursing students completed the survey and two evaluators measured the performances of nine teams in a simulation scenario with NCSS. The data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis, descriptive statistics, independent t-test and Cronbach's alpha. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used in order to estimate the degree of inter-rater reliability. RESULTS: An exploratory factor analysis demonstrated that two factor structures of the NCSS explained 51.1% of the total variance. Two factors were named psychosocial skills and cognitive and psychomotor skills. The mean scores of NCSS between third and 4th grade were significantly different providing support for its known-group validity. Cronbach's alpha was .90 and ranged from .79 to .88. The overall ICC for inter-rater agreement was 0.89 (95% CI 0.03 to 0.98). CONCLUSION: This scale shows preliminary evidence for validity and reliability. It could be a useful instrument for measuring learning outcome in simulation for nursing students' clinical competency.
Clinical Competence ; Humans ; Learning ; Nursing* ; Reproducibility of Results ; Simulation Training ; Students, Nursing*