The Challenges of Having an Infant Participate in the Simulation-based Course: “Examination of a Healthy Infant”

ABSTRACT

Background:

The Skills Training Centre has developed a course where medical students learn to perform a systematic pediatric examination of an infant.

Aim:

The aim of this study is to describe the logistical, educational, legal and ethical concerns of this simulationbased course.

Method:

During the pediatrics component in the 9th semester, medical students were offered voluntary the opportunity to examine an infant accompanied by an instructor (final year medical student). Afterwards, the instructor and the medical student discussed the medical student's examination technique and communication skills. A questionnaire was used to evaluate the relevance of the course.

Results:

50 per cent of the students passed the course. Logistical challenges were posed by the need to request parents with healthy infants (3 months to 1 year) at the child health centre to participate, and to organize the course time. A secretary organized the logistics. The educational challenge was to draw benefit from the individual behavior of infants and mothers. The variation in behavior was used to improve the communication skills of the medical student. There were legal and ethical concerns related to handling the medical student's non-healthy findings on the infants. These findings were dealt with by the pediatrician in charge of the course. The course was evaluated as suitable and relevant. All the parents would recommend this session to other parents at the child health centre.

Conclusion:

It is possible to surmount logistical, educational, legal, and ethical concerns in relation to a simulationbased course where an infant is involved. The endorsement of the course indicates that it should continue.

Keywords:

child health centres, infant, medical students, parents, simulation-based course, student instructor.