Board #154 - Research Abstract Creation and Evolution of a Simulation Instructor Course

Abstract

Hypothesis Teaching and learning with simulation is an increasingly important strategy of adult education in healthcare. This project describes the process and results of an action research study focusing on the development of a simulation instructor course where experiential learning was not only the topic, but the tool by which the learners received instruction. This work brings together the concepts of experiential learning as defined in the adult education literature and concepts in simulation education.1 Due to the lack of other action research studies related to simulation instructor courses, the authors put forth this work as an example of the unfolding new knowledge learned in ours. The optimal proportion of topics to cover was not known and was the basis of our research question: What topics should be given greatest weight and how should topics be ordered in a simulation instructor course for experienced healthcare educators? Methods This qualitative action research, done in the context of an intensive 5-day simulation instructor course for healthcare educators, was intended to improve practice by focusing on participant experiences and adjusting the course accordingly. Trainees were surveyed daily in a 2-question 1-minute paper2 and written evaluation. Those results, watchmen’s notes, student feedback, and faculty debrief notes were used to modify 7 courses over a 4-year period. Instructors reviewed and updated the lesson plan daily. After each course, the teaching team adjusted the curriculum based on all the feedback. As themes emerged, faculty consensus determined course modification. Objective and comprehensive post-hoc analysis was completed through review of the 1-minute papers using the constant comparison method.3-4 Trustworthiness and consistency were maintained by triangulation, using faculty input and multiple sources of student data. Results Three primary themes emerged: recognition that theory is important; practical application requires practice; and unexpected insights and details matter. While some trainees had a background in education theory and simulation-based theory, many did not. Hence, this was included in the curriculum as needed. Almost all learners expressed a desire for more time in the course to practice new skills. Debriefing practice was the most challenging and requested by far, followed by more practice in scenario design and orchestrating a simulation. Attention to unexpected insights and details is also important, especially concerning learner comfort and satisfaction. Additionally, it became clear that student perception of interprofessional education was not obvious until they saw it modelled in the course. This was also true concerning students’ understanding of how to work with challenging learners. Topics and presentations were added, deleted, modified, and rearranged with each iteration. Conclusion The purpose of this work was to highlight the steps we took to develop a simulation instructor course so that others can learn from our experience, and to consider this in relation to the larger world of adult education research. We have determined the need to attend more acutely to the preparation of the student, including a heightened awareness of the goals of the course prior to attendance, to a clearer explanation of the trainees’ assignments throughout the course, to the need for additional faculty support for these assignments, and an acknowledgment that they have now engaged in a life-long learning process. This is a journey for which we hope to provide ongoing support and direction. We also recognize that not only does the field of simulation education have much to learn from adult education, but that the field of adult education has something to learn from simulation. This study contributes to that end.