Are there any companies that solely create scenarios for our SimMan products and sell them online that anyone knows of. I mean, obviously we have bought some from Laerdal, but what about other companies selling them as downloadable scenarios from the internet?

Otherwise, we are staffing an almost full-time position of a technologist/health specialist to sit and program new, specific scenarios from scratch, and our funding just cant continue to do that, so I have to believe there are larger libraries of pre-engineered scenarios out there somewhere right?

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Brian

We are writing our own as well.  The only thing I know to do is continue to share what we create.  I'm a little timid about it because I still feel like a novice, but I'm certainly willing to share.  Only thing is- if you make improvements- send it back to me!  I'm working out a few kinks in my Malignant Hyperthermia and I'll post it.  The Handlers are full of quotes/rationales from MHAUS.  I just need to adjust the patient info, I based it on a real patient who didn't have a classic response, so I want to make one that does. I'll se if I can post it soon.

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Barbara K. Ratliff RN, BSN, MBA
Baptist Health Montgomery, AL
Institute for Patient Safety
and Medical Simulation
Simulation Specialist

Hi Brian,

Thanks for your post. For your information Laerdal does offer a Custom Scenario Development service for SimMan, SimMan 3G, SimBaby and SimNewB. Consultation is available to design, program, validate and implement health care simulations. The service is provided at your location and the product code is 210-91050. Contact your sales rep for more information.

You can also download some scenarios that SUN members have contributed, click on the Downloads link in the menu above, and look at the Resources from Laerdal, and User Contributions folders. The Downloads area has been set up as a site for members to share scenarios. Be sure to include information about the simulation to help those who would like to use it, including the software version it was created in.

Regards,
Emma Cousins

(SUN Admin)

I don't think I'll have time soon to create a second version of Malignant Hyperthermia, so I went ahead and posted the one I have.  At least the events and rationales are built.  I also posted the support info.

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Barbara K. Ratliff RN, BSN, MBA
Baptist Health Montgomery, AL
Institute for Patient Safety
and Medical Simulation
Simulation Specialist

Hi all,

I'm with Barbara on this.  I work full time in our Sim Dept and the other 2 in the team are part time with the rest of their time filled with other Educ duties.  I write scenarios a lot of scenarios but at times still feel like a novice and we are constantly updating them as new info is found or we find that they don't work. 

As we are hospital based, it is also different than those who are teaching students.  Our participants are expected to know the basics as they are RN's and we hold them to a different standard than Nursing Schools. 

Also, all of us use a different template to write from and sometimes that in itself is confusing.  When I get a scenario from someone else, I still have to 're-write' it to use it for our setting it seems.  Sometimes I feel that I have to double check all of their work because something just doesn't seem right too. 

So, is it worth trading scenarios or not?  Yes, because we all have different ideas and ways to express them.  It is sometimes hard to learn that and I will be happy to say that I don't like to redo others work but that is often much easier than doing it from scratch.

Dani

Interesting questions from Dani and Barbara.  I am fairly good at programming in other computer languages, and find programming the scenarios into the scenario builder to be the easiest work I can find. :)  The problem have is finding all  the information I need.  I am a pre-hospital paramedic hired part-time to write scenarios for SimMan and teach ACLS/PALS.  My problem is getting the settings, drugs, dosages, effects, etc that I need in order to create the scenario.  We use the scenario worksheet that Laerdal provided, but I am working on tailoring it for our use.

 I can certainly understand the budget issues, but we are in the same boat here.  The other problem I have is that because of the legal issues, the scenarios I create here at work are not my property (intelectual property clause in employment contract) and therefore I cannot post them for others to use without consent from the corporation.  Just as a side note, everyone might want to look into that to make sure they are not putting their employment in question.  I know this is new for most of us, and I would rather have free flow of information.  I am still waiting to hear from my superiors if I can post scenarios that are created here.

 Aaron

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Aaron Acton EMT-P
Simulation and Disaster Education
Emergency Response Training Institute
Clarian Health
Indianapolis, Indiana

Hi Aaron,

That is very correct about not giving out scenarios that are company owned.  That is why my High School Scenario is posted because it is my own but not any of the ones from Samaritan Health.  I am more than willing to share the ideas and all but I have to receive special permission to give them to someone else.  This may happen on a more one to one basis. 

I did post one of the templates I developed so that newer scenario writers might be able to use it and maybe we will all move toward one style of template someday. 

I always have to check on the drugs and if that is what would be used in this area (Oregon, Pacific Northwest) as it seems like there are some differences in how regions treat the same things.  I know how the patient would be treated at our main facility in the ED and ICU as I had worked there for many years but it turns out that the out lying facilities would treat them very differently.  I may be bald before retirement and using Sam's wigs for myself! ;o)

At least with ACLS, the drugs are the same all over the US, (I hope) and we just have to make sure that we can follow the algorithms.  Has your program purchased the scenarios from Laerdal on ACLS?  I have heard those are really pretty good.

I have really enjoyed writing scenarios, running the manikin, doing makeup and figuring out how to make things work better.  It doesn't matter if it is re-doing the scenario or a technical problem like the mics, I enjoy the challenge.  It does help to be computer literate and all, as well as tech nut. :o)

Would love to be able to sit and chat with you, Barbara, Loy and Jason sometime to exchange ideas.

Dani

  My Director checked with our legal department.  Because we are new to this, we do not have any such clauses in our contracts. My Director says I can share away!  I just have to get over my fear that mine aren't good enough to share.  I'll get over it!

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Barbara K. Ratliff RN, BSN, MBA
Baptist Health Montgomery, AL
Institute for Patient Safety
and Medical Simulation
Simulation Specialist

If anyone is interested, I know of a company that is starting to offer scenario creation services.  If anyone is interested in more information, please email me at my personal email address, eacton4@comcast.net.

 

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Aaron Acton EMT-P
Simulation and Disaster Education
Emergency Response Training Institute
Clarian Health
Indianapolis, Indiana

I have been hosting and sharing simman/simbaby scenarios for around five years now.

There are around 100 scenarios available for download from my web site www.patientsimulation.co.uk at no cost.

The only fee is that you must donate one scenario of yor own to gain access to 100.

 

kind regards

 

Neal.

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Neal Jones
www.patientsimulation.co.uk
www.namsonline.com
www.simulationcentre.com