As CRANAplus has embraced the potential of increased online learning and enhanced its people power, we have at the same time investigated and invested in new training equipment to make the learning experience at our courses even more immersive and the acquired skills even more applicable in a real-world context.
iSimulate
The iSimulate REALITi360 forms the centrepiece of our updated education equipment inventory.
Each iSimulate kit features two iPads. The facilitator’s iPad controls a simulated scenario; they can determine how the vitals like blood pressure and heart rhythm, and even audible symptoms like nausea, present through the participant’s iPad, which mimics a branded monitor/defibrillator interface of choice.
A dynamic turn of events can unfold at the facilitator’s choosing. The simulated patient may present as healthy, alert and talking one minute, before rapidly deteriorating the next.
The participant’s iPad is housed inside a realistic patient monitor casing and is operated by the participant in response to the scenario and changes introduced by the facilitator. The iSimulate requires participants to make quick decisions and to follow the primary survey process they have learned/revised to manage life threats in patients. Using this equipment, the fate of the patient is in the participant’s hands, and the participant’s decisions and responses can be closely monitored by the facilitator.
CRANAplus is exploring further learning potential in the roll-out of iSimulate’s other features, including CTG within maternity education and ventilators within emergency training.
VATA Venepuncture Training Aids
CRANAplus has also recently acquired VATA Venepuncture Training Aids to complement the traditional bulkier system of dummy arms. Popular in America, this system of intravenous cannula training has remained hard to access in Australia — until now. The new equipment has introduced several benefits, says CRANAplus Clinical Equipment Specialist, Tom Quinn.
“The simulated feel of the vein is impressive, and the simplicity of operation is great,” Tom says. “We particularly appreciate the portability of the equipment too, as the education and training we deliver to the health workforce is local. So far, the VATA Training Aid has proven quite rugged, surviving the equipment transport journey to some very remote destinations like Maningrida in Northern Territory.”
More to come
iSimulate and VATA training aids are just two examples from a long list of equipment enhancements occurring across the organisation. The list also includes PROMPT birth simulators for postpartum haemorrhage assessment within MEC courses and military-grade water- and dustproof Pelican cases for transporting gear securely across rough terrain, right down to small-scale essentials, like boxes of gloves.
The changes reflect the hard work of the Education team, who are constantly investigating new technologies and monitoring innovations within the simulation space. As it happens, CRANAplus is keeping a keen eye on augmented reality technology, and while Tom says it isn’t quite there yet, he expects to see it emerging as a key element of courses in the future.
