Global surgery, the field aimed at providing equitable care across international health systems, is increasingly recognised as a cost-effective and essential public health intervention. There is however a global peri-operative healthcare provider shortage. Many locations do not have adequate numbers of skilled anaesthesia providers to help support essential surgical care. Prioritisation of training opportunities and development of educators represents a viable mechanism for increasing the capacity and quality of surgical and anaesthesia services in low-resource settings (LRS). Simulation-based education (SBE) is a highly effective training modality and allows for replication of the clinical environment without harm to patients. In LRS the use of SBE is an emerging trend. The ability to deliver high quality SBE in LRS is often limited by a dearth of educators with skills and confidence to design and conduct training. There is a need for bespoke tools designed to support skill development of simulation facilitators in these contexts.
Whilst established principles underpinning effective SBE from high-resource contexts have relevance, there are specific qualities required of facilitators working in LRS, for example, navigation of complex inter-cultural interactions, working flexibly with resource limitations and being conscious of barriers to effective communication. The research project will canvas existing simulation facilitation assessment tools and explore their relevance for application in LRS. Subsequent work will design and implementation a new tool to support peer-feedback, self-reflection and mentorship of simulation educators working in LRS. The tool will be integrated into the Vital Anaesthesia Simulation Training (VAST) Facilitator Pathway. VAST is a not-for-profit company focused on overcoming barriers to use of SBE in any context. To date, VAST’s facilitator training has been delivered in 8 countries, to participants of diverse clinical backgrounds from over 31 countries.
Simulation is increasingly being used in LRS and the potential significance of this research is far-reaching. The design of a tool that helps guide development of simulation facilitation skills, has the potential to not only strengthen VAST’s facilitator training, but also have broader relevance for the wider simulation community.
This study will form part of Dr Mossenson’s PhD program at the Curtin University.
Dr Adam Mossenson, St John of God Midland Public and Private Hospitals, Curtin University, Western Australia, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Dr Patricia Livingston, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Dr Janie Brown, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia
The project was awarded $A83,139 funding through the ANZCA research grants program for 2023.