A Novel and Cost-Effective Method for Evaluating Cardiopulmonary Auscultation Skills in Student Physical Therapists

Sophisticated high-fidelity human simulation (HFHS) manikins allow for practice of both evaluation and treatment techniques in a controlled environment in which real patients are not put at risk. However, due to high demand, access to HFHS by students has been very competitive and limited. In the present study, a basic CPR manikin with a speaker implanted in the chest cavity and internet access to a variety of heart and breath sounds was used. Students were evaluated on their ability to locate and identify auscultation sites and heart/breath sounds. A five-point Likert scale survey was administered to gain insight into student perceptions on the use of this simulation method. Our results demonstrated that 95% of students successfully identified the heart and breath sounds. Furthermore, survey results indicated that 75% of students agreed or strongly agreed that this manner of evaluation was an effective way to assess their auscultation skills. Based on performance and perception, we conclude that a simulation method as described in this paper is a viable and cost-effective means of evaluating auscultation competency in not only student physical therapists but across other health professions as well.