PG74 COVID-SIM : Building testing capacity through public engagement with healthcare simulation

• Published in: BMJ simulation & technology enhanced learning Vol. 6; no. Suppl 1; pp. A70 - A71
• Main Authors: Christodoulides, Natasha, Duggan, William P, Dalrymple, Kirsten R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group LTD 01.11.2020
• Subjects: Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 diagnostic tests; Initiatives; Personal protective equipment; Simulation
• ISSN: 2056-6697
• DOI: 10.1136/bmjstel-2020-aspihconf.122

BackgroundAn outbreak of respiratory disease caused by COVID-19 has caught the world off-guard.Testing as a means to manage and contain the disease has been recognised worldwide. This has spurred numerous initiatives including set-up of drive-through COVID-19 testing clinics. Currently drive-through testing is performed by healthcare workers.Using these drive-through clinics as inspiration, we propose integrating simulation to train volunteers from the public to perform safe testing of symptomatic patients for COVID-19 in the community.Summary of Education Programme or ProjectWe suggest Kneebone et al.’s model of ‘distributed simulation’ as an easily accessible, widely available method to deliver a low-cost, ‘immersive’ simulated experience.1 Our Audience• Volunteers from the publicSimulated ScenarioSimulated ‘test centres’ to train volunteers on safely donning and doffing personal protective equipment (PPE) and swabbing symptomatic patients for COVID–19.Our purpose is to:Alleviate pressures posed on the healthcare system, allowing greater numbers of nurses and paramedics to return to the front line,Safely teach new skills to volunteers,Create a representation of ‘safe swabbing’ for the purposes of practice,Extend the benefits of simulation to the community,Provide a safe space for learners for feedback and debriefing.Summary of ResultsThe simulation design progressively layers and integrates skills as follows:Stage 1 - Skills-based simulations:Safe donning and doffing of PPESwabbing of patientsCommunication for gaining consent, explanation of the procedure and process of obtaining test resultsStage 2 - Scenario-based simulations:Task performance using the manikin in a ‘car’, with the voice of an educator/volunteerDiscussionThe potential for COVID-SIM’s success lies in the phenomenal realism that learners bring to the simulation. Our intended learners have willingly signed-up so we anticipate they enter the programme with greater emotional investment, greater sense of purpose and hence a greater average level of engagement. As effective simulation lies largely in engagement and meaningfulness for the learner, COVID-SIM is poised to create learning gains utilising flexible and low-cost simulation approaches.1 2 Conclusions and RecommendationsAs a new initiative addressing an expanded ‘audience’ we believe COVID-SIM offers space and potential for exploration. Moving forward, this initiative could provide a starting point to illustrate an expanded scope for simulation, one that potentially forges greater connections and collaboration between healthcare and the public.ReferencesKneebone R, Arora S, King D, Bello F, Sevdalis N, Kassab E, et al. Distributed simulation-accessible immersive training. Med Teach 2010;32(1):65–70.Hamstra SJ, Brydges R, Hatala R, Zendejas B, Cook DA. Reconsidering fidelity in simulation-based training. Acad Med 2014;89(3):387–92.