Simulation use in paediatric student respiratory therapy training

At SickKids it is a perennial challenge for clinical leads and preceptors to ensure that student respiratory therapists (SRTs) acquire the entire scope of the paediatric skill set as set out by the 2016 National Competency Profile. As such, simulation has historically been used to supplement the clinical experience for SRTs at Sick Kids; however, the extent to which simulation-based education can replace clinical experience is not clearly established in the literature. At SickKids, we have created an alternative paediatric rotation where the percentage of time spent in the simulation environment is greater than in the traditional, clinical-based rotation. We hypothesize that there should be comparable levels of performance in a simulated setting between students in clinical and simulation-based rotations, as well as comparable measures of self-reported values for cognitive load, self-appraisal, and self-efficacy. Thus far, we have enrolled 59 students, with 54 completing postclinical rotation testing. Follow-up retention testing has been complicated by geographical factors. Following data analysis, we will publish our findings.