Operative Experience (OEI), a leader in healthcare simulation solutions, on September 18, 2024, announced that its Prolonged Casualty Care (PCCS Pro) Female simulator for trauma care training recently passed operational testing and has been accredited and authorized for procurement by the U.S. Army. The Army’s operational testing program conducts independent operational tests of new and emerging technologies that will improve a soldier’s capabilities on the modern-day battlefield.
Prolonged Casualty Care (PCCS Pro) Female Simulator
The PCCS Pro Female is the first and only female trauma care simulator to have been accredited by the Army. The operational tests were carried out by combat medics from III Armored Corps and the U.S Army Medical Test and Evaluation Activity agency at Fort Cavazos Medical Simulation Training Center (MSTC). One of the largest centers of its kind in the country, Fort Cavazos provides the necessary support structure for combat medics and instructor operators and an environment suitable for facilitating effective testing. The Army will procure PCS Pro Female simulators for all 23 MSTC centers throughout the US starting September 2024.
The PCCS Pro Female is a full-body, wireless, autonomous, ruggedized simulator with lifelike soft tissue and skin, real-time tablet control, and over 10+ hours of continuous battery-powered run time for indoor and outdoor environments. The simulator is available in Caucasian, African-American, Asian, and Hispanic skin tones, with interchangeable wound configurations that simulate a variety of polytrauma injuries, including IED explosions, blunt trauma, and gunshot wounds.
The PCCS Pro Female is specific to the female physical and physiological markers. The healthcare manikin represents the average female size in the military at five feet nine inches and 135 pounds. This is two inches shorter and 45 pounds lighter than the male clinical manikin. The PCCS Pro Female has a blood volume of 3.75 liters compared to the male healthcare simulator at five liters. The military needs “a realistic trainer to maintain familiarity and proficiency treating a female casually,” says Walter Engle, CEO of Chiral Medical Consulting and project consultant.
The development of the PCCS Pro Female simulator is the result of a six-year collaboration with the U.S. Army, which began when Operative Experience was selected by the Army’s Program Executive Office Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI) to receive a $3.6M Phase 2 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant. The grant, in addition to a significant R&D investment by the company, was specifically designed to support the development of a high-fidelity female patient simulator for comprehensive point of injury through prolonged field care training.
“Data has shown that female casualties have a higher rate of mortality than their male counterparts due to a variety of causes, including hesitancy of males properly assessing fatal wounds, as well as cultural or psychological factors,” said Paul Bernal, VP Global Sales and Business Development. “The U.S. Army recognized an immediate need for a high-fidelity simulator with realistic female anatomic features to provide medics with life-saving training experience in the treatment of female combat casualties. The PCCS Pro Female is the only female simulator ready to meet that challenge.”
“The Army has never fielded female trauma simulators before, so having the PCCS Pro Female accredited and ready for training is a huge milestone in ensuring all our Soldiers receive the highest possible medical care,” said Lou Oberndorf, Chairman and CEO of Operative Experience. “Seeing the results of the collaboration and co-investment by OEI and the U.S. Army and being able to put these medical training products in the hands of our brave military men and women is a minimum standard of care that is long overdue and the right thing to do.”
Why Does the Military Require Approved Manikins?
Military and civilian clinical simulations have some similarities and differences. As seen in the YouTube video, the military manikins are not placed on a bed or stretcher with moulage. They are used in real-life environments and conditions, so extra protection must be designed to protect the manikin’s functionality and provide realistic, immersive experiences to the learners. Military manikins must be Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) approved.
The military’s use of TCCC approved manikins in combat simulations is not just a matter of training but a matter of life and death. These clinical manikins are designed to provide a realistic, immersive experience that prepares soldiers for the chaotic and unpredictable nature of combat trauma. Unlike civilian simulations, military simulations demand a higher level of realism and durability, reflecting the complexity of battlefield conditions.
By using approved manikins that meet TCCC standards, the military ensures personnel receive the best possible training in trauma care. This preparation is essential to ensure that soldiers are ready to save lives in the most extreme conditions imaginable, which makes the military manikins a vital part of the overall training process.
Comparison of Civilian and Military Simulation
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An Emphasis on Planning and Preparation: Civilian simulations often focus on medical scenarios that are predictable and structured, like cardiac arrest or trauma care in an emergency department. These scenarios are usually well-planned in advance, and the environment is controlled. In military simulations, however, the emphasis is on preparing for the unexpected. Scenarios are designed to mirror the chaotic and unpredictable nature of combat, requiring quick decision-making and adaptability in conditions that might change rapidly.
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Approve Devices TCCC: In civilian healthcare training, standard manikins may suffice for common medical emergencies. In contrast, the military requires specialized manikins that can simulate trauma from gunshot wounds, explosions, and other combat-related injuries. These manikins must support the tactical and medical interventions outlined by TCCC guidelines, ensuring that soldiers and medics can practice in conditions as close to reality as possible.
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Debriefing: In civilian settings, debriefing typically occurs in a calm, controlled environment after the simulation ends. In military simulations, however, debriefing can occur immediately in the field, where the participants must discuss their actions under the pressure of combat-like conditions. The debriefing process is critical to understanding both individual and team performance in high-stress, high-stakes situations.
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Fiction Contract: In both civilian and military simulations, learners enter into a “fiction contract”—an agreement between the learner and the instructor that they will accept the simulated scenario as real. However, in military simulations, this fiction contract is taken to the next level. Military trainees must suspend disbelief and fully immerse themselves in the simulation, acting as if they are in an actual combat zone. The realism of the simulation is crucial, as it directly impacts the preparedness and effectiveness of the trainees in real combat situations.
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Simulated Clinical Experience is Not a Class: In civilian healthcare settings, simulations are often a part of medical education or professional development, integrated into a broader curriculum. Military simulations, on the other hand, are treated as real-life preparation exercises. These experiences are designed to replicate the intensity of combat, to save lives in the most extreme conditions.
More About Operative Experience Inc.
Operative Experience Inc. makes hands-in-the-body medical simulators for obstetrics, trauma, and surgical training. These healthcare simulation manikins are characterized by high anatomic fidelity and life-like tissue that can be incised, sutured, and retracted using standard surgical instruments.
Headquartered in Aberdeen, Maryland, Operative Experience Inc.’s mission is to revolutionize surgical and medical team training. Using these high-fidelity simulation manikins and with a rigorous experiential instructional paradigm, OEI works to reduce training costs while increasing training effectiveness and retention. The company is dedicated to applying this medical simulation technology throughout the continuum of care, from tactical operations in the field to emergency procedures in the operating room.
Operative Experience Inc. is constantly considering research and partnerships that can expand the company’s surgical product line. For procedures that destroy tissue, OEI either provides modular replacements, cost-effective refurbishments, or low-cost task trainers. Task trainers enable repetitive, cost-effective practice to proficiency in a surgical component prior to a more expansive surgery. Orientation and on-site training are also available.
Learn More About the Operative Experience Inc. Female Trauma Simulator
