Simulation-based medical education can be used to improve the mental health competency of emergency physicians.

Abstract

We explored the feasibility of developing, running and evaluating a simulation-based medical education (SBME) workshop to improve the knowledge, skills and attitudes of emergency department (ED) doctors when called on to assess patients in psychiatric crisis. We designed a four-hour workshop incorporating SBME and a blend of pre-reading, short didactic elements and multiple-choice questions (MCQs). Emergency department nurses (operating as SBME faculty) used prepared scripts to portray patients presenting in psychiatric crisis. They were interviewed in front of, and by, ED doctors. We collected structured course evaluations, Debriefing Assessment for Simulation in Healthcare (DASH) scores, and pre- and post-course MCQs. The pilot workshop was delivered to 12 ED registrars using only existing resources of the Psychiatry and Emergency Departments. Participants highly valued both 'level of appropriateness' (Likert rating μ = 4.8/5.0) and 'overall usefulness' (μ = 4.7/5.0) of the programme. They reported an improved understanding of the mental state and of relevant legal issues and rated the debriefings highly (participant DASH rating: n = 193; score μ = 6.3/7.0). Median MCQ scores improved non-significantly pre- and post-course (7.5/12 vs 10/12, p = 0.261). An SBME workshop with these aims could be delivered and evaluated using the existing resources of the Psychiatry and Emergency Departments.