How valid are commercially available medical simulators?

How valid are commercially available medical simulators?

Stunt, J.J.
Wulms, P.H.
Kerkhoffs, G.M.
Dankelman, J.
Van Dijk, C.N.
Tuijthof, G.J.M.

Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering

Biomechanical Engineering

2014-10-14

Background: Since simulators offer important advantages, they are increasingly used in medical education and medical skills training that require physical actions. A wide variety of simulators have become commercially available. It is of high importance that evidence is provided that training on these simulators can actually improve clinical performance on live patients. Therefore, the aim of this review is to determine the availability of different types of simulators and the evidence of their validation, to offer insight regarding which simulators are suitable to use in the clinical setting as a training modality. Summary: Four hundred and thirty-three commercially available simulators were found, from which 405 (94%) were physical models. One hundred and thirty validation studies evaluated 35 (8%) commercially available medical simulators for levels of validity ranging from face to predictive validity. Solely simulators that are used for surgical skills training were validated for the highest validity level (predictive validity). Twenty-four (37%) simulators that give objective feedback had been validated. Studies that tested more powerful levels of validity (concurrent and predictive validity) were methodologically stronger than studies that tested more elementary levels of validity (face, content, and construct validity). Conclusion: Ninety-three point five percent of the commercially available simulators are not known to be tested for validity. Although the importance of (a high level of) validation depends on the difficulty level of skills training and possible consequences when skills are insufficient, it is advisable for medical professionals, trainees, medical educators, and companies who manufacture medical simulators to critically judge the available medical simulators for proper validation. This way adequate, safe, and affordable medical psychomotor skills training can be achieved.

validity level
training modality
medical education
validation studies
medical skills training

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:ce270203-0afc-4607-bd2d-1d8742e8b14b

https://doi.org/10.2147/AMEP.S63435

Dove Medical Press

1179-7258

Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 5, 2014

Institutional Repository

journal article

© 2014 The Author(s)
Creative Commons BY-NC