Simulation is being utilized to prepare for the possible spread of the Ebola virus.
http://www.easternhealth.ca/Default.aspx” target=”_blank”>Eastern Health, an integrated health organization in Newfoundland and Labrador, announced it would hold a series of simulated emergency preparedness exercises on October 6 to evaluate the organization’s processes and procedures for managing potential cases of the Ebola virus.
“While a case of Ebola has been confirmed in the United States, the risk of Ebola spreading throughout Canada remains very low,” said Dr. David Allison, Medical Officer of Health at Eastern Health. “Eastern Health has infection control systems and procedures in place that are designed to limit the spread of infection, protect healthcare workers, and provide the best care possible for the patient. The purpose of this exercise is to further challenge and validate our procedures to ensure that possible cases of Ebola, or other infectious diseases, are correctly contained, diagnosed appropriately and treated quickly.”
As an educational tool, http://www.sim-one.ca/aboutsimone/faqs”>simulation replicates real-word scenarios and prepares students and clinicians for situations not often experienced in the classroom and clinical setting.
“Simulation is an ideal preparation technique for managing high-risk but low-frequency healthcare incidents, such as disease outbreaks,” said Dr. Tim Willett, Director of Research & Development at SIM-one. “A variety of simulation modalities, such as virtual patients, computer models or manikin-based simulations, can allow healthcare providers to understand critical information and practice their responses to different aspects of such a situation, honing their skills before an incident occurs.”
Dr. Bruce Ballon, SIM-one’s Director of Education, adds that “there is much we can learn from previous disasters and outbreaks thanks to simulation. After SARS, training programs and concepts via simulations helped us with H1N1. I hope we again prepare for these scenarios ahead of time in the safety of simulation rather than have to learn through another deadly epidemic sweeping through our communities.”
It was announced that the simulated exercises would be held across multiple sites. The exercises would see a team of relevant experts follow a patient through various scenarios and provide guidance and support to the employees providing the care and support to the patient. According to Eastern Health, the success of the exercises will be determined through the organization’s ability to validate its practices and identify gaps where they may exist.
According to the http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/id-mi/vhf-fvh/ebola-eng.php” target=”_blank”>Public Health Agency of Canada, the Ebola virus is a severe disease that causes hemorrhagic fever in humans, often leading to significant internal bleeding and organ failure. The http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2014/s930-ebola-confirmed-case.html” target=”_blank”>Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the first case of Ebola in the United States on September 30, 2014.
About SIM-one
SIM-one—Ontario Simulation Network is a not-for-profit organization that connects the simulation community, facilities, resources and services across the Province of Ontario. SIM-one advocates for and advances simulated learning in health professions education for the benefit of patient care and patient safety. Supported in part by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC), SIM-one’s vision is to further position Ontario as the global leader in healthcare simulation.
For more information on SIM-one, please contact John Gilson at [email protected].