International Journal of Healthcare Simulation

Background:

Simulation has been part of medical education for many years. It has evolved and advanced alongside training needs and practice. Although student experiences within simulation have been well documented, educators’ experiences are lacking in the literature. Most of the literature around this topic relates to educators learning experiences, the development and planning of simulation in general, and faculty development [1,2]. Consequently, this gap in the literature forms the basis of this study.

Methods:

A qualitative phenomenological approach of Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was adopted for this study. This was so that the lived experiences of educators involved in a simulation day for final year medical students could be analysed and interpreted. Ethical Committee Approval was obtained, and 6 educators involved in this day were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. The transcripts were then analysed for themes and interpreted.

Results:

Analysis of the interview transcripts identified four main themes. Journey into simulation, which focused on passion for simulation and training needs; what simulation means, which included topics around fidelity and debriefing; developing in simulation, which described personal and faculty development, imposter syndrome, and technology; and the culture of simulation, of which teamwork, hierarchy, and the wider community featured.

Discussion:

The lived experiences and themes presented carry with them the processes that facilitate the growth and development of our medical simulation educators, as well as some of the barriers and stressors. These facilitators include passion, apprenticeship and immersive experiences, teamwork, and reflection, with barriers and stressors being technology, developing debriefing skills, and imposter syndrome. Implications for practice include recognising and making time for formal and informal reflection as a team, understanding the role workplace learning has in faculty development and debriefing, ensuring faculty understand the objectives of each simulation-based activity, and developing coaching and mentoring opportunities to explore feeling around imposter syndrome and hierarchy.

References

1. Dieckmann P, Birkvad Rasmussen M, Issenberg SB, Søreide E, Østergaard D, Ringsted C. Long-term experiences of being a simulation-educator: a multinational interview study. Medical teacher. 2018;40(7):713–20.

2. Gordon M, Patricio M, Horne L, Muston A, Alston SR, Pammi M, Thammasitboon S, Park S, Pawlikowska T, Rees EL, Doyle AJ. Developments in medical education in response to the COVID-19 pandemic: a rapid BEME systematic review: BEME Guide No. 63. Medical teacher. 2020;42(11):1202–15.