I am interested in mechanical ventilation education, focusing on innovating training approaches in this critical field. I would like to highlight two studies that offer valuable insights into the evolving landscape of medical education, particularly in the context of mechanical ventilation.
The first study, published in Pulmonology, assessed the effectiveness of VentSim©, an online simulation-based training tool, in comparison to standard teaching methods. The study involved trainees in anesthesia and intensive care, evaluating their knowledge and skills through a comprehensive questionnaire. While the VentSim© group’s competencies were not significantly superior to those of the control group, the software was highly praised for its utility in routine training, marking it as a potentially valuable complementary educational tool.
In another study presented at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) Annual Meeting 2023, I compared the effectiveness of an online mechanical ventilation (MV) simulator, VentSim©, with a traditional onsite simulator. By conducting a nonrandomized controlled trial with first-year critical care fellows, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of these simulators during a mechanical ventilation course. The comparison of post-test scores revealed that the online simulator was noninferior to the traditional simulator in teaching fundamental principles of mechanical ventilation waveform analysis. This finding is significant as it underscores that online simulators like VentSim can be as effective as traditional methods, offering a more accessible and cost-efficient alternative for training.
We have demonstrated the potential of online simulation tools like VentSim in delivering effective and accessible training for healthcare professionals. While traditional, in-person training methods continue to hold value, the integration of innovative digital tools presents a promising complementary avenue, especially in situations where conventional training is impractical.