Introducing Simulation-based Education
to Healthcare Professionals in Kuwait:
Exploring the Challenge of Integrating
Theory into Educational Practice
Ph. Maram Katoue
Faculty of Pharmacy, Kuwait University.
Maram Katouea, Nadia Iblaghb, Susan Somervillec, Jean Kerc
aFaculty
of Pharmacy, Kuwait University, Kuwait.
bKuwait Medical Association Training Centre, Kuwait.
cClinical Skills Centre, University of Dundee Ninewells Hospital, Scotland.
Simulation-based Education
Simulation is an instructional technique that
substitutes or amplifies real clinical experiences
with guided educational experiences which evoke
or replicate essential elements of the real world in
an interactive way.
(Quality & safety in health care 2004; 13 Suppl 1:2-10)
Simulators and Simulated Patients
Introduction
 Using simulators for learning standards of safe
clinical practice requires faculty development.
 The National Clinical Skills Centre in Kuwait was
established in 2011 at the Dasman Diabetes Institute.
Introduction
 The MSc. Programme in Diabetes Care and
Education:
• Clinical
• Management
• Research
• Education
• Simulation-based educator
Aim of the Study
 To investigate the initial perceptions of the use of
simulators by healthcare professionals who undertook
a module on simulation for clinical skills education.
 To explore their subsequent ability to transform the
theoretical knowledge gained from the module into
their educational practice.
Methods

Participants recruitment:
•
•
Convenience sample
Multidisciplinary health care professionals
Methods
1) Exploration of theoretical understanding:
 Series of five clinical skills stations:
• Station 1 SimMan/Simbaby
• Station 2 Resusi Anne with resuscitation kit/AED
• Station 3 Part task trainers (e.g. venepuncture arm,
ophthalmoscopes and heads, catheterisation models)
• Station 4 Harvey
• Station 5 Simulated Patient with script
Methods
Structured questionnaire:
•
•
•
•
How would you classify this simulator?
How would you describe the fidelity of the simulator?
When would you use it in your teaching?
What would be the challenges of using this simulator
in your practice?
Methods
2) Exploration of educator practice:
 Tutor analysis of video record of teaching:
• Identify what simulator was used in the educational
practice of the novice educators
• Determine the appropriateness of the choice of the
simulator for the clinical skill being taught
 Self-reported analysis of use of simulators
Results

Study participants included those who undertook the
clinical skills and simulation module in 2012, 2013.

The two cohorts included 23 physicians, 6 pharmacists
and 8 other healthcare professionals.
Results
 Exploration of theoretical understanding:
• Participants were able to determine the classification
of the simulator, its fidelity and possible applications.
• Challenges identified:
• Limited availability
• Lack of realism
• Requirement for technical support for the highfidelity simulators
• Need for special training for the simulated patients
Results
 Exploration of Educator Practice:
• Tutor analysis of video record of teaching:
• Use of part task trainers to teach procedural skills.
• Self reported analysis of use of simulators:
• Limited justification of choice.
• Little reference to the simulator’s classification,
fidelity, or the challenges in its use.
Conclusion
 There is a theory-practice gap in the use of
simulation by novice educators.
 Further study:
• Need to explore underlying reasoning/influences
in the choices of simulators made by novice
educators.
A potential Community of Practice
Simulation Use in my Educational Practice
Acknowledgements
Dasman Diabetes Institute
Module leads from Dundee University:
• Prof. Jean Ker
• Dr. Mairi Scott
• Susan Somerville
Study participants
Thank You