The anatomy lesson of Dr Nicolaes Tulp: what can it teach us today?

Health professionals' education related to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities are among the most underserved in an inequitable healthcare system.

METHODS

Using Arksey and O'Malley's methodology and a social determinants of health framework, we conducted a scoping review of literature on the state of practice in education of healthcare professionals in the health and healthcare needs of this population.

RESULTS

Searches found 4948 articles, with 182 included in the final review. Themes identified included gaps of not being informed by workforce needs, continued use of the medical model of care, not addressing intersectionality with racial/ethnic and other discriminations, and lack of involvement of the population in developing/evaluating programs and promising trends of development of competency-based interprofessional programs with experiential learning.

CONCLUSION

We provide recommendations for best practices in a concerted effort to educate a healthcare workforce equipped with the knowledge and skills to address the health needs of this population.

The role of manikins in nursing students' learning: A systematic review and thematic metasynthesis

OBJECTIVES

To summarise and synthesise findings from qualitative primary research studies of nursing students' experiences from educational activities using manikins to gain a deeper understanding of the role these manikins play in the students' learning.

DESIGN AND DATA SOURCES

A systematic review and thematic metasynthesis were conducted. Cinahl+, Ovid Medline, ERIC and Embase were searched systematically.

REVIEW METHODS

Sandelowski and Barroso's framework guided the review process. A comprehensive search to identify qualitative studies of nursing students' experiences from learning with manikins was performed in January 2019 and updated in April 2020. Study selection was guided by six screening questions derived from these inclusion criteria: qualitative primary studies, published from 2008, in English or Scandinavian, presenting findings of undergraduate nursing students' experiences with manikins at all fidelity levels. Thomas and Harden's method for thematic synthesis was followed.

RESULTS

Twenty-eight articles of twenty-seven studies were included. We identified three synthesised analytic themes: Seeing the manikin as a doll or a patient, Experiencing yourself as a nurse caring for a patient, and Being a team member.

CONCLUSIONS

When it is perceived as a patient, a manikin can give students a realistic experience of what it means to behave like nurses. Consequently, this realism lets students practice and acquire relational, communicative, and collaborative nursing skills. Using a manikin can facilitate the development of students' professional identity.

The value of simulation-based learning in pre-licensure nurse education: A state-of-the-art review and meta-analysis

Simulation modalities are numerous in nursing education, with a need to reveal their range and impact. We reviewed current evidence for effectiveness of medium to high fidelity simulation as an education mode in pre-licensure/pre-registration nurse education. A state-of-the-art review and meta-analyses was conducted based on a systematic search of publications in English between 2010 and 2015. Of 72 included studies, 43 were quantitative primary studies (mainly quasi-experimental designs), 13 were qualitative studies and 16 were reviews of literature. Forty of 43 primary studies reported benefits to student learning, and student satisfaction was high. Simulation programs provided multi-modal ways of learning. A meta-analysis (8 studies, n = 652 participants) identified that simulation programs significantly improved clinical knowledge from baseline. The weighted mean increase was 5.0 points (CI: 3.25-6.82) on a knowledge measure. Other objectively rated measures (eg, trained observers with checklists) were few. Reported subjective measures such as confidence and satisfaction when used alone have a strong potential for results bias. Studies presented valid empirical evidence, but larger studies are required. Simulation programs in pre-licensure nursing curricula demonstrate innovation and excellence. The programs should be shared across the discipline to facilitate development of multimodal learning for both pre-licensure and postgraduate nurses.

Contemporary issues in the training of UK health and social care professionals--Looking after people with a learning disability

The health and social care of people labelled with 'learning disability' has historically been a disputed territory for those individuals working within the nursing and allied health professions. In recent times this situation has seen public debate as instances of poor care and avoidable deaths have received a high profile in the popular and professional presses. Here we report on a local initiative where students can study for a joint honours award which allows them to practise as a generic social worker and a learning disability nurse. We believe that the inter-professional perspective improves their ability to manage the increasingly complex aspects of health and social care that this client group demands. Furthermore, we suggest that if a similar model were to be applied at a foundation module level to the training of ALL health and social care professionals, then the results would be a win/win situation for all parties. This would also go some way to meeting the recommendations of Sir Jonathan Michael's report, Health Care for All (DH, 2008).

Dr. Tulp attends the soft machine: patient simulators, user involvement and intellectual disability

Simulation as a way to teach clinical skills attracts much critical attention. Its benefits, however, might be significantly reduced when the simulation model used relies exclusively on patient simulators. This is particularly true if the intended patient population for students taught is characterized by intellectual disability. Learning to care for people with intellectual disability might be better supplemented when the simulation model used incorporates input from 'real' people. If these people themselves have intellectual disabilities then the verisimilitude of the simulation will be higher and the outcomes for learners and potential patients will also be improved.