Physical Assessment Education Using Various Simulators.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Clinical Skills Training

Background:

• Pharmacists possess essential knowledge of medical therapy, physical assessment, and emergency care.
• Pharmaceutical education is evolving with patient simulators for practical training.
• Kyushu University of Health and Welfare School of Pharmaceutical Sciences utilizes simulation for skill development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline methods for confirming vital signs using simulators.
• To demonstrate simulations of drug misadministration and condition changes.
• To assess student pharmacists' physical assessment skills via objective structured clinical examinations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized patient simulators (Stan, Heart SIM, Physico) for training.
• Replicated scenarios of drug misadministration, including fatal arrhythmias and insulin overdose.
• Simulated critical conditions such as anaphylactic shock and hyperglycemia.
• Conducted case study exercises involving physical assessments and patient data collection.

Main Results:

• Successfully demonstrated the reproduction of asystole and ventricular fibrillation using simulators.
• Enabled simulation of anaphylactic shock and hyperglycemia for condition change scenarios.
• Evaluated student pharmacists' technical abilities in physical assessment through practical examinations.

Conclusions:

• Simulation education equips pharmacy students with diverse healthcare professional skills.
• This training fosters exploration of new pharmacist roles within team-based medical care.
• Enhanced practical skills improve pharmacists' ability to manage patient conditions and prevent medication errors.