Title:Using Simulation in Clinical Education: Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) Score Assessment
Volume: 12
Issue: 3
Author(s): Yasser El Miedany, Maha El Gaafary, Sally Youssef, Semeh Almedany and Deborah Palmer
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Simulation, Peer learning, Debriefing, Student-led, PASI.
Abstract: Background: The use of simulation-based learning in the medical field
has many benefits, including patient safety, health care professional confidence,
accelerating diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, meeting the unfulfilled demand
for medical personnel, and lowering of medical errors. Developing of interactive
learning tools for teaching a simulated clinical case studies program, is
highly needed to improve specialist nurses and middle grade health care professionals
skills and competency.
Aim: Assess the outcomes of a simulated problem-based learning educational
activity for scoring the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI).
Methods: 33 training health care professionals took part in the simulation activity.
Before commencing the teaching program, every participant answered a pre-simulation activity confidence
and competence levels questionnaire. The simulation activity was carried out in 3 phases:
Phase 1: interactive instructor-learner format; Phase 2: Peer-led tutorial; Phase 3: completely independent
student led learning adopting a “Problem solving” approach. At the end, every participant
completed a questionnaire for post-simulation activity confidence and competence levels.
Results: The percentage of agreement with the reference PASI score was progressively improving
which reflects improvement of the learners’ skills after adopting the repetitive learner engagement
approach. All participants expressed positive attitudes toward the simulation-based course. The overall
mean for the student satisfaction subscale was 4.33/5, whereas the overall mean for the selfconfidence
subscale was 4.15/5.
Conclusion: Simulation-based teaching is an effective way to teach health care professionals. This
approach led to improving attitudes, behaviors, interaction, confidence and overall performance leading
to potential increased patient safety and better clinical outcomes. The next step is to implement
simulation-based training effectively and efficiently in standard teaching.
