First Portable Simulated Pediatric Patient in the US
CINCINNATI -- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center today unveiled the first portable simulated pediatric patient in the United States. The mannequin simulates a 7 year-old boy and his response to critical injury and medical interventions. Cincinnati Children's will use the PediaSim to train healthcare providers and students at all levels of medical education for the unique challenge of caring for children.
Medical Education Technologies Inc. (METI), a Florida-based company, developed PediaSim, which features a realistic airway, pulmonary system, cardiovascular system, metabolic system and neurologic system. The mannequin is computer driven, based on sophisticated mathematical models of human physiology and pharmacology. These models automatically determine the child's response to medical care.
For example, caregivers can see and hear the PediaSim breathe, see his pupils react and measure changes in heart rate. His tongue can swell, as it might during an allergic reaction. Heart defects and other medical anomalies can be created. He knows what drugs are being administered and whether the proper amount for a child his size has been given, and he reacts accordingly.
The PediaSim gives doctors, nurses, and other hospital providers an opportunity to simulate critical scenarios, improving team performance in a controlled environment at no risk to human patients. The portability of Cincinnati Children's PediaSim distinguishes it from other medical mannequins and provides such great potential to improve prehospital medical care.
"Trauma is the leading cause of death among children in the United States, but only a small percentage of pre-hospital squad runs require acute advanced life support intervention," says Mary Patterson, MD, an emergency medicine physician at Cincinnati Children's. "As a result, there are few opportunities for pre-hospital personnel to gain experience and reinforce resuscitation skills, teambuilding and leadership abilities that are required in these critical situations."
An analysis of pediatric trauma deaths in Canada found that 20 percent of deaths occurred among children who had survivable injuries. Another study showed that the most frequent problems were those associated with chest trauma and airway management. Complication rates of prehospital pediatric endotracheal intubation (airway management) are reported to be as high as 17 to 22 percent, according to Dr. Patterson.
"To improve the death and injury rates associated with pediatric trauma, prehospital education will need to incorporate innovative techniques which provide the greatest likelihood of successful acquisition and retention of the skills required to manage the pediatric trauma patient," says Dr. Patterson. "The pediatric human patient simulator is one tool that can make a significant contribution to the care of the pediatric trauma patient."
Cincinnati Children's is seeking funding for a Mobile Training Lab so that it can take the PediaSim to rural areas to train prehospital providers. Until a Mobile Training Lab becomes a reality, Cincinnati Children's plans to use the PediaSim at Pediatric Advanced Life Support courses and Pediatric Education for Prehospital Providers courses at Cincinnati Children's, and will begin taking reservations for simulator-specific courses later this summer. The portable configuration will allow educators at Cincinnati Children's to take PediaSim throughout the medical center with relative ease.
Contact Information
Jim Feuer, 513-636-4656,
jfeuer@chmcc.org
