Nightmare on CIL Street: A Simulation Series to Increase Confidence and Skill in Responding to Clinical Emergencies

The Central Texas Veterans Health Care System (CTVHCS) in Temple, a 189-bed teaching hospital, recently opened its Center for Innovation and Learning for simulation-based learning. CTVHCS built a rapid response simulation curriculum to improve preparedness for internal medicine residents, medical students, and physician assistant students that exploits newly developed medical education technology.

The Center for Innovation and Learning curriculum was created based on the most common rapid response calls received over the previous 3 years. Cardiac, respiratory, and neurological simulations were implemented. Learners approach each scenario as if they were on night service alone without specialist help. Learners must identify tachyarrhythmia, impending respiratory failure, and a patient with encephalopathy requiring transfer.

Sixteen learners were surveyed before the simulation and after addressing each educational objective was completed and showed improvement. Educating trainees on rapid response scenarios by using a simulation curriculum provides many benefits. Trainees reported improvement in addressing cardiac, respiratory, and neurological rapid response scenarios after experiencing the simulation.