Effective training for nasopharyngeal swabbing on 3D printed simulator
KEY FIGURES
Between 1 000 and 1 300
healthcare professionals trained since March 2021
CONTEXT
Among health professionals, 20% of learners do not want to perform a procedure on themselves or their peers in the first instance.
During the epidemic of Covid in 2020, the ARS (Regional Health Agency) requested to train all the caregivers in initial and ongoing training to nasopharyngeal swabbing, so that detection tests can be performed on a larger scale. This request has evolved to train all people wishing to engage as mediator fight against COVID (retired, students, job seekers, …).
CHALLENGE
Simulation-based training is becoming more and more popular in the field of nursing, and offers major advantages. They allow learners to see and perform an act at the same time. In the case of nasopharyngeal sampling, the gesture to be practiced is not as trivial as it might seem and needs to be practiced beforehand on the patient.
OBJECTIVE
For the AP-HP (Assistance Publique, Hôpitaux de Paris), the objective was to carry out training days for nasopharyngeal sampling, with delivery of a certificate, including 3 hours of theory in the morning and 3 hours of practice in the afternoon in the form of practical workshops.
SOLUTION
In early March 2021, BONE 3D provided the AP-HP training team with 3D printed simulators to practice nasopharyngeal sampling.
This model represents the essential elements to learn the gesture (nasal cavity, nasopharynx, soft palate, facial skin and mucous membranes) while respecting their mechanical and anatomical properties. The learners were able to practice the insertion of a swab to take very realistic samples, allowing to take into consideration the pain of others on an invasive procedure.
RESULTS
The educational managers of the AP-HP have been very satisfied with the model and its use, and and would like to see the development of these simulations in other training courses. The BONE 3D models have proven to be solid and reliable, with each simulator allowing a hundred uses. Its practical format facilitates its storage and transport.
We applied the fundamental rule “Never the first time on a patient!” during the training exercises of the anti-COVID mediators.
Luc Picherit, Health executive – Trainer, Training and Skills Development Center, APHP
