Abstract
Objective: Education about medical instruments is thought to be one way to reduce medical accidents due to such medical instruments. Simulation-based medical education for doctors and nurses has been reported, but there are few reports on medical students. Although nasogastric tube is described in the medical education model core curriculum, medical students have little experience with nasogastric tube.
The curriculum describes: "[students] can outline types and principles of main medical equipment." While infusion pumps and syringe pumps are commonly used, and medical accidents are frequently reported, but there are no reports concerning how medical students are trained to use infusion/syringe pumps.The purpose of this study is to examine the significance of simulation-based education for medical students on using infusion/syringe pumps and nasogastric tube.
Methods: Our subjects were 82 medical students. We required the students to insert a nasogastric tube into the simulator and to handle infusion/syringe pumps, and we reviewed nasogastric tube placement, free-flow, and the siphon phenomenon. We administered three tests: before practice, after prior learning, and after practice.
Results: The accuracy of review of nasogastric tube placement was significantly increased among students before practice, after prior learning, and after practice. The accuracy of siphon phenomena and nasogastric tube placement was increased as well.
Conclusions: Simulation-based medical education for medical students in nasogastric tube and infusion/syringe pumps is significant to understand procedures that are difficult to experience in clinical practice but that must be properly executed.
