Authors (including presenting author) :
HUNG JLK, SO EHK, CHEUNG VKL, SO SS, NG GWY, CHIA NH
Affiliation :
Multi-disciplinary Simulation and Skills Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Introduction :
COVID-19 virus was brought into public attention since December 2019. Multi-disciplinary Simulation & Skills Centre had cooperated with KCC Q&S Department and CND to organize Infectious Disease Practice Drill and Refresher Training since early February 2020. The training was aimed to increase awareness in using appropriate Personal Protective Equipment, to boost up staff’s skill and to protect them with proper infection control practice.
Objectives :
Training fidelity is vital to effective simulation training design by referring to the realism of training experience. One of the MDSSC’s core missions is to optimise this skill training by providing adequate physical fidelity.
Methodology :
At early stage of training, a high PPE consumption was concerned. With the team wisdom of MDSSC and support from Hospital Management & administrative departments, the following replacements were produced and arranged:
i) MDSSC designed and locally produced 720 handcrafted face shields by mimicking clinical used one with raw materials such as kitchen sponge and laminating pouch film.
ii) As prompted by our Director and a long-term 3D-printing partner, MDSSC prototyped and printed the eye-visor frame by using Polylactic acid (PLA) materials.
iii) Apart from stock supported by QEH AS Department, MDSSC sourced industrial-used N95 respirators from local online store.
iv) Apart from expired AAMI level 4 gowns provided by QEH Warehouse, MDSSC sourced similar gowns through TaoBao with post-receipt processing to ensure participants following exact gowning and de-gowning procedures.
Result & Outcome :
The result was analysed by total PPEs conserved, replacement time and participants’ satisfaction. As of 13 March 2020 when the training concluded, more than 1,000 PPEs replacement were used in comparison to 1,232 participants. Preparation of full replacement took place in 7 working days. Three questions relating to simulation environment and scenarios were chosen from participants’ evaluation for evaluating the difference on satisfaction between real PPEs and PPE replacements. Only a slight drop of less than 3% was identified in the satisfaction rate of participants after different phrase of PPE replacement was implemented, in comparison to overall satisfaction drop of 5%.
Training fidelity is definitely an important element in simulation training. In this exercise, we were aware on the frontline challenge regarding the personal safety protection. Meanwhile, by using our team’s wisdom, we had proactively joined the fight in infectious disease outbreak by exploring new resources opportunities for PPE substitutes. We believe our experience has well demonstrated a paradigm shift, by balancing between the training and PPE consumption without exposing training fidelity.
