Is simulation-based education an acceptable method of education to safely and ethically develop sonographers’ advanced non-technical skills?

By Catherine Rienzo, Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography

Simulation-based education (SBE) is a recommended component of medical education. SBE is a recognised method of teaching both technical skills and non-technical skills in an evidence-based manner, which can
improve patient outcomes (HEE, 2016). It is also recognised that SBE in healthcare education is good ethical practice, as it traditionally does not involve learning skills on patients (BMA, 2003). Students have been using imaging-based simulators for many years and this is well-established in education.

Sonographers increasingly undertake complex tasks autonomously, and the BMUS Preceptorship and Capability Development Framework for Sonographers identifies key capabilities that includes enhanced communication skills, complex decision making, governance and safety (BMUS 2022). The University of Salford, in partnership with GE HealthCare, have opened The Centre for Medical Imaging (CMI), which lends itself well to SBE.

Accordingly, we have introduced SBE into sonography education to explore the merits of this method in teaching non-technical skills such as adaptability, decision-making and governance, along with preparing the
student sonographer to break bad news, counsel patients and de-escalate conflict situations, along with scope to explore the concept of giving results. The SBE equipment in place includes animatronic mannequins that are
directed to react, and interact, with the students, which offer the ability to work through a “real-life” simulated experience within the CMI.

Students co-created the curriculum, identifying issues that they wanted to examine in the sessions. We describe a pilot study, whereby we evaluate what impact, if any, SBE has on the student sonographer’s
technical and non-technical skills. We use a non-experimental design to survey the students and use thematic analysis to answer the primary question: Is SBE an acceptable method of education to safely and ethically develop sonographers’ advanced non-technical skills?