Educational software: mechanical ventilation simulator and its hemodynamic effects

Abstract:

Introduction:

The appropriate management of mechanical ventilation (MV) is considered of high complexity, and the use of a simulator allows students to acquire these abilities in a safe environment.

Objective:

The study developed an educational software that simulates MV management and its cardiopulmonary interaction.

Method:

The software was developed with Web Hypertext Markup Language version 5 (HTML5). Software engineers evaluated the technical quality and experts assessed the content using a perception tool with a five-point Likert scale of agreement.

Result:

The developed simulator offered theoretical references, a choice of clinical condition, adjustable ventilation settings, monitoring of ventilatory and hemodynamic mechanicals, arterial gasometry, and animations. Its quality was approved by a software engineer. In the expert content evaluation, the following Likert (L) and agreement (A) average scores for the statements were found: for “available online for students” (L=4.29 and A=85.7%), for “available to students outside the class” (L=4.856 and A=100%), for “stimulates reasoning” (L=5 and A=100%), for “excess content” (L=3.14 and A=28.6%) and for “user friendly” (L=3.43 and A=71.4%). The average content validity index was 0.86. The errors found by the experts were corrected. Agreement in relation to availability of the simulator for students required improved help in the ventilation settings, in non-MV actions, two levels of difficulty, and less visual pollution.

Conclusion:

Experts considered this simulator a facilitating tool for teaching cardiopulmonary interaction on mechanical ventilation.

Keywords:
Software; Simulation Training; Mechanical Ventilation; Hemodynamic Monitoring