Practical training in muscle injection in preparation for the clinical clerkship

Abstract

Vaccines and immunizations are expected to contain or control pandemics caused by infectious diseases. Therefore, it is essential to create a system that can supply prompt and stable vaccinations to people who wish to be vaccinated. However, securing human resources to provide vaccinations is a problem in Japan. In Europe and the United States, pharmacists play a role as vaccination providers, so someday pharmacists in Japan may also contribute in this way. With this background, practical training using an attachable brachial muscle injection simulator was provided to fourth-year undergraduate students and verified its effectiveness. Compared to before the practice, students’ knowledge and skill of intramuscular injection improved, and students were satisfied with how the training increased their confidence and self-efficacy. In addition, many students developed positive consciousness and responded that knowledge and skills for intramuscular injection would be helpful in the future and should be learned at university. These results suggest that practical training using a muscle injection simulator is beneficial in undergraduate education.