Identify a recently adopted information, education, or communication technology tool in your specialty area.Human patient simulation (HPS) is the use of life-sized full-body mannequins that have the capability to electronically interact with humans (Lewis, Strachan, & Smith, 2016). The HPS is used in nursing education in a variety of ways. They are used to help students practice skills they learned in theory. For example, the HPS can be programmed to simulate different clinical conditions (Lewis, Strachan, & Smith, 2016). They can also be programmed to perform in specific ways in order to demonstrate or reinforce learning opportunities. This allows nursing students to practice without fear of harming a live patient.
Consider how your identified technology tool might impact nursing practice if it were more widely used.
The HPS teaching tool might impact nursing education in a variety of ways if it was more widely used. For example, the HPS has been shown to improve the knowledge scores and critical thinking scores of nurses after practice on HPS (Shinnick, & Woo, 2013). It could also be used to assess the self- efficacy of nurses in managing patient issues, for example assessing a patient’s fluid levels (Shinnick, & Woo, 2013).
What are some barriers preventing increased usage?
Barriers to preventing the increased use of HPS in nursing education are the challenges in successful implementation (Schmidt, et al., 2013). For example, evaluating learning as an outcome can be problematic. Also, there is a scarcity of quantitative research to validate the value of the tool. The majority of the research on HPS so far is qualitative. Although qualitative research is valuable, quantitative studies may provide further justification for the costs of equipment, and faculty and student time, investment and involvement involved with implementing the HPS. For these reasons, more research is needed in order to discover the true worth of the HPS in nursing education.
How could wider implementation be facilitated?
Wider implementation of HPS in nursing education could be facilitated by incorporating the HPS into the nursing program curriculum and ensuring instructors are proficient in how to use the HPS in nursing education (Garbee, et al., 2013). Also, the costs associated with implementing the HPS may be justified with more rigorous quantitative studies.
Reflect on how it is used and how its use impacts the quality of care.
The literature on the HPS and patient outcomes is scarce (Schmidt, et al., 2013). One study demonstrated an improved individual performance in anesthesia simulation. Research further suggests that the HPS can decrease patient mortality and improve the quality of care measured by surgical quality improvement measures. Again, this is an area that needs further research.
Summarize how adoption of the technology tool could be facilitated
The adoption of the HPS in nursing technology could be facilitated by adding the tool to nursing program curriculum and ensuring instructors are competent in its use. Also, this tool should be pilot tested using quantitative methods in order to assess the specific patient outcomes related to its use as well as assess the nurse learning outcome.
- Garbee, D.D., Paige, J.T., Bonanno, L.S., Rusnak, V.V., Barrier, K.M., …et al. Nelson, K. (2013). Effectiveness of teamwork and communication education using an interprofesional high-fidelity human patient simulation critical care code. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 3(3), 1-12.
- Lewis, R., Strachan, A., & Smith, M.M. (2016). High fidelity simulation the most effective method for the development of non-technical skills in nursing? A review of the current evidence. The Open Nursing Journal, 6(10), 82-89.
- Schmidt, B.A., Goldhaber-Fiebert, S.N., Ho, L.A., & McDonald, K.M. (2013). Simulation exercises as a patient safety strategy: A systematic review. Ann Int Med, 185(5), 158-165.
- Shinnick, M.A., & Woo, M.A. (2013). The effect of human patient simulation on critical thinking and its predictors in prelicensure nursing students. Nurse Education Today 33, 1062-1067.
