Abstract
Even with basic cardiovascular lectures, undergraduates do not usually experience the reality of palpation and, therefore, cannot integrate their physiological knowledge. We created a pulse training scenario of human patient simulators (HPS) to recognize and assess the normal and arrhythmic pulse of the radial artery. All 25 participants were recruited as volunteers to the study from the School of Allied Health Sciences, Kitasato University. Participants received training in radial palpation of arrhythmias on HPS. The test scenario included 10 arrhythmic pulses combined with normal pulses and weak pulses. The average examination scores significantly improved, from 23.8 ± 2.8 of the pretest to 72.9 ± 3.4 of the posttest (mean and SE, N = 25, p < 0.00001). A questionnaire and general written comments for the palpation training were positive. The palpation training improved the participants’ assessment of radial pulses.
Highlights
Detailed physical examinations frequently provide important information needed to assess the cardiovascular system
It is simple for medical staff to understand the importance of palpation, many undergraduate students do not realize their arterial pulses as cardiovascular events and how they are related to their own physiology
The training scenario including 10 arrhythmic pulses combined with normal pulses or weak pulses was manually created with the scenario editor of the human patient simulators (HPS)
Summary
Detailed physical examinations frequently provide important information needed to assess the cardiovascular system. Palpation of the carotid and radial arteries is simple and often an underutilized lowcost method [1]. Arrhythmias are assessed with an electrocardiogram (ECG) and Holter monitoring to determine the type, precise palpation of the arterial pulse helps in diagnosing arrhythmias, even asymptomatic ones, and is necessary to determine blood flow adequacy. It is simple for medical staff to understand the importance of palpation, many undergraduate students do not realize their arterial pulses as cardiovascular events and how they are related to their own physiology. There is likely dissociation between their knowledge and reality. Handson experience of their own normal pulse and pulses of arrhythmias, even with virtual reality devices, should deepen their understanding of cardiovascular physiology
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