Benefits
- Simulation gives students or new graduates opportunities for development of clinical skills in realistic contexts without risk of harm to clients (Gaba, 2001; Lateef, 2010). For example, virtual reality provides an environment where learners can respond to clients as if they were in real life clinical setting (SimuCase, 2016).
- It allows practical application of knowledge and skills and encourages leaners to engage in reflective practice and practice clinical reasoning (Lateef, 2010).
- A variety of competencies and learning outcomes including clinical and professional skills such as communication, reasoning, and professionalism can be achieved using different types of simulation (Lateef, 2010).
- A large range of speech and language disorders can be presented through virtual case studies (SimuCase, 2016).
- Theory can become dry whereas simulation can provide an exciting and motivating learning environment for students. It provides a 'hands on' interaction which can cater to different people’s learning types especially those that might not be as ‘academic’ (SimuCase, 2016).
- Clinicians and students require opportunities for professional development and lifelong learning to build their skills (SimuCase, 2016).
- Simulation training helps to break down each step of e.g. assessment, in a practical, functional and simplified way. Feedback is able to be provided that is applicable and specific (Lateef, 2010; SimuCase, 2016).
- Students have made substantial progress in the development of their clinical skills. They also stated that they felt more confident in their skills which contributed to a better transition from university into working life (Lateef, 2010; SimuCase, 2016; Shapiro, Morey, Small, Langford, Kaylor, Jagminas, et al, 2004).
- It enables students to test different clinical decisions without consequences and protects patients from unnecessary risks (Lateef, 2010).
- Simulation can also be used as a tool to assess or measure competencies and learning objectives (Lateef, 2010; Shapiro, et al, 2004).
- Simulation provides opportunity for deliberate, repetitive and unlimited practice with the option of increasing difficulty levels to challenge learning (Gupta, Peckler, & Schoken, 2008; Lateef, 2010).
- There is a significant evidence in the literature for the benefits and positive educational outcomes. Studies have shown that simulation improves learning (Grantcharov, Kristiansen, Bendix, Bardram, Rosenberg, Funch-Jensen, 2004; Gupta, et al, 2008; Lateef, 2010).
- A new graduate could use stimulation to increase confidence and skills in particular clinical areas such as those they had less opportunity to observe while at university or in areas that are more specialist. Similarly, clinicians based in rural areas can use simulation to maintain or build a variety of clinical skills despite limited caseloads or infrequent specific cases (SimuCase, 2016).
Barriers
- It may be difficult for a university to implement simulation training due to possibly needing a large enough space for training groups, equipment setup and other facilities (Lateef, 2010).
- Online simulation training may have expensive membership costs which university funding may not cover. Students may be required to purchase it themselves which can be difficult on a budget (Lateef, 2010; SimuCase, 2016).
- There may not be enough staff to train or manage simulation (Lateef, 2010).
- Despite solid evidence that simulation training improves learning, there have been no studies that demonstrate direct improved patient care outcomes (Lateef, 2010).
- The cost-effectiveness of high-priced simulation-based education and training still needs to be examined in in relation to improvement of clinical ability (Lateef, 2010).
Click on the purple box to find what what professionals in the nation are saying about Simulation Training
|