For decades, technology has changed how students are educated, providing more realistic training. This increase in realism increases buy-in, allowing for a more significant transfer of skills from the simulation to a real-world encounter. The Vital Signs Package was developed to faithfully recreate the task of gathering vital signs, a task-relevant for all healthcare providers.
In many simulations, educators don’t have the tools necessary to recreate the collection of vital signs. So instead, they break the fidelity of the simulation to pass that information to the learner. Either the Simulated Participant (SP) breaks character and announces their vital signs to the learner, or the simulationist announces the vital signs over the PA system. Both leave the learner confused and unsure if they should trust the instruments in their hands or wait for more information from an outside source.
The Vital Signs Package solves the vitals collection problem while retaining the fidelity of the simulation. To create this package, Avkin has teamed up with simulation companies Innov2Learn and KB Port.
Innov2Learn’s Thermometer and Oximeter faithfully recreate real devices healthcare professionals use in clinical settings every day. Both are fully programmable via a smart device or PC application, allowing educators to transmit vital signs congruent with the simulation you’re running. In addition, new readings can be programmed in the middle of the simulation to recreate an evolving situation such as patient decline, all without breaking fidelity.
KBPort’s BPSim works very much the same way. This simulation blood pressure cuff can be programmed to replicate both blood pressure and heart rate. Learners will practice watching for needle bounce while listening to a pulse that matches your simulation. The BPSim is also programmable via a smart device.
Tying the realism together is the Avtone, Avkin’s wearable auscultation device. Using realistic heart and lung sounds, educators can program many different scenarios for learners to listen to using their own stethoscopes. The Avtone is also programmable via the Avkin App, allowing for quick changes on the fly. Additionally, the Vital Signs Package comes with two Avband Simulated Participant cueing devices and two tablets to manage the devices.
Don’t sabotage your learning objectives before your simulation even starts. If you would like to maintain fidelity in your simulations or learn more about the Vital Signs Package, please book a meeting.