Medication administration within healthcare simulation helps prepare learners worldwide for their roles in patient care better. To support simulation educators, SimVS develops medical simulators for healthcare education. Now, with the release of the first IV pump simulator, SimVS-IV, opens up new opportunities for realism in medication administration training. This HealthySimulation.com article by Teresa Gore, PhD, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CHSE-A, FSSH, FAAN, will discuss how SimVS- IV can help educate and train our healthcare workforce to meet the needs of patients to incorporate patient safety and best practices.
The US Healthcare Workforce Needs Attention
In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, one profession stands out for its projected growth and demand: Nursing. According to the latest projections from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, both licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPN/LVN) and registered nurses (RN) are expected to see significant increases in employment opportunities over the next decade.
For LPNs/LVNs, the outlook is promising, with a projected five percent growth rate from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations. This translates to approximately 54,400 openings each year, driven by factors such as workforce turnover and the aging population’s increasing healthcare needs. Similarly, RNs are projected to experience a six percent growth rate over the same period, with about 193,100 annual openings anticipated.
These statistics underscore the urgent need for more nurses to be adequately educated and trained to meet the growing demands of the US population. As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, so too must the methods by which we prepare future nurses for their crucial roles.
SimVS-IV to Meet the Need for IV Therapy Training
One innovative approach gaining traction is the use of simulation training to educate and train LPNs/LVNs, particularly in specialized skills such as IV insertion and therapy. Simulation offers a safe and controlled environment for learners to practice essential clinical skills, honing their proficiency and confidence without risking patient safety. By providing realistic scenarios and hands-on experience, simulation training equips nurses with the skills they need to excel in their roles and deliver high-quality care.
Moreover, simulation training addresses some of the challenges associated with traditional clinical education, such as limited clinical placements, varying patient acuity, and time constraints. With simulation, educators can standardize learning experiences, tailor scenarios to learners’ needs, and provide immediate feedback, fostering a more effective and efficient learning process.
In most states, LVN/LPNs are allowed to insert IV catheters and administer IV fluids after the completion of an IV therapy certification course. SimVS-IV is a solution to address the needs for additional skills training and practice. A review of available courses reveals that some of the IV therapy courses only have didactic material with a written exam and no any hands-on training.
In addition, when IV training these pumps are available, they are likely used and subject to regular maintenance needs. Refurbished pumps cannot have adjustments made to their drug libraries by educators and must be shipped to a biomed facility for updating costing a lot over the lifetime of the device.
SimVS-IV can be a solution to address these gaps and allow institutions the ability to provide a safe practice environment for learners to incorporate the psychomotor skills along with the critical thinking components for IV therapy. With the five interfaces of common pumps in addition to the PCA module, SimVS-IV is easy enough to begin practicing and then confidence, Continuing up to more complex performance and the ability to gain mastery.
By embracing innovativenew approaches in simulation, we can better prepare nurses to meet the evolving healthcare needs of our society. As we look to the future, collaboration between educators, healthcare providers, and policymakers will be essential to ensure that nurses receive the training and support they need to thrive in their vital roles.
IV Smart Pumps
Alamar and ALanazi (2023) conducted a scoping review of the impact of smart pump technology in the healthcare system. This reviews states smart infusion pump technology does prevent errors during parenteral therapy. Advantages for the use of smart pumps are the decrease in errors of incorrect rate and does, decrease in medication event rates. While smart pumps reduce errors; however, only prevent some programming errors. Compliance with the use of smart pump technology is imperative to prevent other errors. This is where SimVS – IV infusion has a solution to allow users to practice smart pump technology is a safe environment.
A major advantage of SimVS- IV is the ability to teach the theoretical concepts of IV pump infusion and smart pump infusion without the limitation of a particular pump. With a table-based application, the IV pump allows the learner to connect the knowledge, concept, and skill that can be applied to any IV smart pump.
Medication administration can be complex and requires great attention to detail. According to the National Library of Medicine, in 2023, there are close to 6,800 prescription medications available, along with numerous over-the-counter medications that healthcare providers must be knowledgeable about. Additionally, IV pumps are a primary medication delivery method and an essential tool that nurses must become proficient in. This poses the question – how do we improve our patient care and outcomes by decreasing medication errors? Clinical simulation is an essential part of the solution!
A major advantage of SimVS IV pump is the ability to teach the theoretical concepts of IV pump infusion and smart pump infusion without the limitation of a particular pump. With a table-based application, the IV pump allows the learner to connect the knowledge, concept, and skill that can be applied to any IV smart pump.
View the LEARN CE/CME Platform Webinar Revolutionize Medication Training with SimVS-IV, the World’s First Infusion Pump Simulator to learn more!
More About SimVS
SimVS has revolutionized how medical professionals and clinical learners train and practice skills with the widest range of virtual patient monitors, assessment devices, IV pumps, and defibrillators on the market today. These simulators allow learners to assess physiology, communicate as a team, and simulate the use of therapeutic devices such as a ventilator or IV pump.- truly a multipurpose platform. One of the SimVS platforms strengths is its ability to work in various clinical simulation environments, creating the most realistic learning environment possible. SimVS can be used with various manikins and also standardized patients. A notable advantage of SimVS is its utilization of tablets as the platform for all its programs. The flexibility, affordability, and portability are optimal to create the possibility of every bed to have a monitor or device.
Today, SimVS is one of the world’s most successful providers of simulated medical device monitors, boasting thousands of unit installations on devices across the globe. The founders of SimVS recognized that existing healthcare simulation equipment was both expensive and cumbersome, so an effort was made to create more accessible alternatives that would enhance the clinical training experience. SimVS accomplished this by creating a product line of simulated patient virtual monitors, defibrillators, vital sign devices, call bells, ventilators, and more. SimVS has emerged as a trailblazer in the development of affordable simulated medical device technology to enhance the realism of the experiential learning environment.
Learn More About SimVS IV Pump!
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