Mobile emergency simulation training for rural health providers

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Emergency Medicine
• Healthcare Simulation

Background:

• Mobile emergency simulation offers innovative continuing medical education (CME) opportunities for underserved regions.
• Healthcare provider satisfaction is crucial for effective active learning in simulation-based training.
• Limited access to high-fidelity simulation resources in rural areas necessitates novel educational solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the satisfaction levels of Canadian rural healthcare providers with high-fidelity emergency simulation training.
• To assess the effectiveness of a mobile education unit (MEU) in delivering advanced simulation experiences.
• To identify areas for improvement in mobile simulation training for rural healthcare professionals.

Main Methods:

• Conducted 14 educational sessions over 5 months in nine southern Manitoban communities.
• Utilized a modified motorhome as a mobile education unit (MEU) for high-fidelity emergency simulations.
• Collected anonymous feedback from 131 participants using Likert scale and short-answer questions.

Main Results:

• Achieved a 75.6% response rate from diverse rural healthcare providers (nurses, residents, first responders, physicians).
• Reported high median satisfaction scores (5/5) for learning quality, clinical reasoning, decision-making, and self-reflection.
• Indicated the MEU provided a realistic environment, with most participants having limited prior access to high-fidelity mannequins or crisis resource management training.

Conclusions:

• Rural healthcare providers expressed high satisfaction with mobile emergency simulation training.
• The MEU effectively delivered advanced simulation experiences to a previously underserved population.
• Limited access to high-fidelity mannequins highlights opportunities for expanding simulation-based medical education in rural settings.