Simulated patient encounter to assess and improve fellows' ability to manage chemotherapy infusion reactions.

Abstract

TPS10541 Background: Medical educators have adopted simulation-based exercises (SBEs) because studies of their use in the aviation industry and other technical fields have shown that they reduce human error. While use of simulation has increased in undergraduate and graduate medical education, it hasn’t been used as frequently in educating subspecialty fellows. Fewer than 5% of participants in a survey of different subspecialists indicated that simulations were part of their fellowship curriculum (1) even though simulation-based training is an ACGME program requirement (2). Chemotherapy infusion reactions (CIRs) occur with about 5% of all cytotoxic chemotherapies and even more frequently with biologics (3). These CIRs present significant morbidity and cost. HFS improves knowledge and confidence in medical trainees (4). Therefore, I designed a high fidelity simulation (HFS)-based curriculum to measure fellows’ current medical knowledge and provide a mechanism for gaining increased understanding and confidence. Across subspecialty graduation medical education, only one SBE with IRs has been performed, and that project aimed only to measure existing knowledge (5). This project aims to measure oncology fellows’ knowledge of and confidence in CIR management, measure attitudes regarding SBEs, measure improvement in knowledge following the SBEs, and assess for changes in behavior (management of CIRS) that may occur following these interventions. Methods: The HFS takes place in the VA Hospital Interdisciplinary Simulation and Education Center, which consists of a programmable mannequin that can “talk” through a speaker and convey physical exam signs in an “outpatient clinic.” Participants will interact with the mannequin, who will be a patient experiencing a paclitaxel infusion reaction. An evaluator will be grading the participant’s actions with an OSCE style checklist. Immediate debriefing will be followed by a didactic. Participants will complete post-intervention surveys regarding their confidence in and knowledge of management of CIRS. Participants will later be evaluated on their attitudes regarding the simulation, their knowledge of CIR management, and will also provide critique of the same interaction done by another provider. These HFS-based activities will allow evaluation of fellows’ current knowledge of and comfort with CIRS, fellows’ attitudes regarding the intervention, improvement in knowledge occurred following the intervention, and anticipated change in management.