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16 Speak Out December 2016
The Embedding Simulation in Clinical Training in Speech
Pathology National Project (see December 2014 and October
2015 issues of Speak Out) has been full steam ahead in 2016,
with the successful rollout of the project at six sites across
Australia.
The overall aim of the project is to determine if students in
accredited speech pathology programs achieve a comparable
level of competency in placements when an average of 20
percent of the placement time is replaced with simulated learning
activities compared to traditional clinical placements. To do
this, students undertaking middle-level adult placements at the
participating universities were randomised into either a traditional
clinical placement (usual current practice), or a simulation and
traditional clinical placement known as the “simulation model”,
where students are immersed in simulation activities at the
university for the first five days of placement before commencing
their traditional placements.
Through the simulation model students have the opportunity
to develop clinical skills in adult areas of practice including
speech, language and swallowing, across a range of simulated
environments including acute hospital and rehabilitation (inpatient
and outpatient) settings. Under the guidance of a speech
pathology facilitator/clinical educator, students are given the
opportunity to work alongside their peers to develop assessment
and management skills, through peer role play and interaction
with simulated patients. Across the five days of the simulation
model, students engage in 13 simulation sessions focused
on seven clinical cases representative of the populations that
students would see in traditional adult placements; these include
stroke, traumatic brain injury, orthogeriatric and progressive
neurological conditions. The simulation model also enables
students to interact with members of the multidisciplinary team
and family members.
The beginning of the year was a particularly busy one for the team
with initial rollouts at The University of Sydney, The University of
Queensland, The University of Newcastle and The University of
Melbourne in January. Not long after this was a clinic at La Trobe
University in April, and then Griffith University in August. In 2016,
21 simulation clinics were run, with 133 students participating in
this experience so far.
Data is being collected from a range of stakeholders using
a variety of measures. COMPASS® is the primary outcome
measure being used to measure student competency across
the two groups (traditional or simulation model), and student
feedback is also being collected through the use of surveys
pre and post-placement in both groups. The perceptions of
simulation clinic facilitators and clinical educators supervising
students following their participation in the simulation clinic are
also being sought through post-placement interviews.
Data collection is set to conclude in early 2017, so we look
forward to sharing project findings with you soon. If you would
like further information about this project, please contact Dr Anne
Hill, Project Leader, The University of Queensland at ae.hill@
National rollout of simulation
randomised control trial
Above: Students at Griffith University interact with
simulated patient assisted by speech pathologist and
facilitator, Brooke Duggan.
Left: Students at Griffith University review simulated
patient case information ahead of seeing their patient.
Simone Howells
Embedding Simulation in Clinical Training
in Speech Pathology Project Team