Impact of emergency simulation training in primary care: a rapid review

Primary care is increasingly exposed to acutely unwell patients and there is an increasing responsibility of primary care physicians to be well-equipped to manage medical emergencies. One means of training primary care staff is through simulation training; however, emergency simulation training in primary care is not well established.

The objective of this study was to conduct a rapid literature review of studies looking at the use and impacts of emergency care simulation training in primary care.

A systematic literature search with pre-defined key terms was carried out in November 2023 using the databases of PubMed, ERIC, EmBase and PsychInfo. Studies between 2013 and 2023 that met the inclusion criteria were reviewed. Only journal articles in English with full texts that were available were reviewed. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses framework, data extraction was systematically structured, and studies were appraised systematically.

Of 523 initial studies found from the literature review, eight studies met the eligibility criteria. Seven of the eight studies evaluated the efficacy of simulation training for primary care providers; these were prospective cohort studies. One of the eight studies was a proof-of-concept study. One study specifically compared high-fidelity to low-fidelity simulations. No previous literature reviews on the use of emergency simulations in primary care were found in this literature search. All studies were consistent in terms of the significant benefits emergency care simulation has for primary care staff in improving confidence, clinical practice and emergency management systems. These changes applied to both clinical and non-clinical staff. There were specific benefits from in-clinic simulation.

This review emphasises the significant benefits of emergency simulation training in primary care. There should be greater consideration of specifically incorporating such educational tools in primary care specialties such as general practice, rural general practice and urgent care.