Since the beginning of formal medical education, one of the biggest challenges in treating patients has been learning from mistakes. How do providers balance the potentially grave consequences of medical mistakes with the possibilities of improving patient care?
While the conundrum is far from solved, hospitalists at HM11’s “Advanced Interactive Critical Care” pre-course will get hands-on experience in the newest techniques in patient care without affecting real patients. The pre-course will use simulators to replicate real-life situations with critical-care patients.
For the annual meeting’s course director, the simulators are the next step in training hospitalists. “This is really exciting,” says Daniel D. Dressler, MD, MSc, FHM, associate professor and director of internal-medicine teaching services at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. “As an educator, it’s really something unique. We learn the best by actually doing and sometimes making mistakes; it’s better to do that in simulations with expert advisors offering immediate feedback.
“Not only will pre-course attendees get high-quality didactic information, but they will also participate in the simulation of critical-care events with very experienced faculty,” he says.
It’s really something unique. We learn the best by actually doing and sometimes making mistakes; it’s better to do that in simulations.—Daniel D. Dressler, MD, MSc, FHM, associate professor and director of internal-medicine teaching services at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, SHM board member
Pre-course participants will have the option of having more hands-on time with the simulators in lieu of lectures. Dr. Dressler, an SHM board member, calls the opportunity to work on cutting-edge technology “exceedingly unique.”
The primary simulator will look, feel, and sound like a real person with actual physiological parameters. It breathes and has a pulse—or, in some cases, doesn’t have a pulse. Dressler says participants will be in front of a simulated patient who is going through septic shock or having airway or ventilator problems. While interacting with colleagues and instructors, participants will diagnose and treat the simulated patient. The simulator can replicate real-life complications that can result from treatments.
The pre-course materials state that after completing the course, participants will be able to:
- Explain basic and advanced mechanical ventilator physiology and strategies for complex situations, including acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and troubleshooting ventilator problems;
- Integrate physiology with treatment of common and less common forms of shock; and
- Apply appropriate sedation and analgesia strategies to minimize delirium in the ICU, and optimize ventilator weaning.
Additionally, the pre-course will present, model, and practice the latest in evidence-based, critical-care practice. Though the pre-course is called “advanced,” it is open to any hospitalist looking to improve their critical-care skills.
“We were getting feedback that people were ready for the next level,” Dr. Dressler says. Along with the basics of critical care (e.g. sepsis, sedation), the pre-course will cover more advanced issues. “We understand that many people have been practicing critical care for a number of years. This course will benefit any hospitalist, regardless of prior critical care experience.”
Led by instructors Kevin Felner, MD, and Brian Kaufman, MD, of New York University Medical Center, “Advanced Interactive Critical Care” begins at 8:50 a.m. May 10. However, the first simulation session begins at 7:20 a.m., and pre-registration is required.
Another new HM11 pre-course will focus solely on using handheld ultrasound devices. The appeal of ultrasounds for use in hospitalists’ rounds is increasing; this course will train hospitalists to use them to look at patients’ vessels, heart, and abdomen.