Interactive education system for teaching patient care

• US 6,758,676 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2002
• Issued: 07/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: gaumard scientific company, inc
• Original Assignee: gaumard scientific company, inc
• Inventors: Eggert, John S., Eggert, Michael S., Vallejo, Phillip
• Primary Examiner(s): Rovnak, John Edmund
• Application Number:
  US10/292,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20030073060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 434/262, 434/265, 434/266, 434/267, 434/268, 434/269, 434/270, 434/272, 434/273
• US Class Current: 434/262
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/28 for medicine
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/281 for pregnancy, birth or obstetrics G09B23/286 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/30 Anatomical models G09B23/281 - G09B23/288 take precedence

Abstract

An interactive education system for teaching patient care to a user is described. The system comprises a patient simulator; a virtual instrument for use with the patient simulator in performing patient care activities; means for sensing an interaction between the virtual instrument and the simulator, and means for providing feedback to the user regarding the interaction between the virtual instrument and the simulator.

Claims

1. An interactive education system for teaching patient care to a user, the system comprising:

a maternal simulator adapted to provide both rotational and translational movement to a fetal simulator in a birthing simulation;

the fetal simulator designed to be used both in conjunction with the maternal simulator and separate from the maternal simulator; and

a neonatal simulator designed to replace the fetal simulator in post-birth simulations.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a processor operable to execute a plurality of instructions associated with at least one of the maternal, fetal, and neonatal simulators, wherein the instructions include at least one scenario designed to instruct the user in a patient care activity.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the scenario is designed to utilize the maternal simulator to provide adult critical care training to the user.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the scenario is designed to utilize the maternal simulator to provide obstetrical training to the user.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the obstetrical training includes a plurality of obstetrical exercises, wherein the exercises include a breach exercise, a uterine palpitation and massage exercise, a vacuum extraction exercise, and a forceps delivery exercise.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the scenario is designed to utilize the fetal simulator to provide critical care training to the user.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the scenario is further designed to provide obstetrical training to the user when the fetal simulator is used in conjunction with the maternal simulator.

8. The system of claim 2 wherein the scenario is designed to utilize the neonatal simulator to provide neonatal critical care training to the user.

9. An interactive education system for teaching patient care to a user, the system comprising:

at least one adult simulator for providing adult critical care and obstetrics training to the user, wherein the adult simulator is adapted to simulate birthing by rotating a fetal simulator in first and second directions and translating the fetal simulator;

the fetal simulator for providing fetal critical care training to the user, wherein the fetal simulator can be used in conjunction with the adult simulator; and

a neonatal simulator for providing neonatal critical care training to the user, wherein the neonatal simulator can be used in conjunction with the adult and fetal simulators.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

a processor associated with at least one of the maternal and neonatal simulators, wherein the processor is operable to execute instructions corresponding to at least one patient care scenario; and

an output means in communication with the processor, wherein the output means is operable to provide output based on the scenario and the user'"'"'s interaction with the maternal simulator or the neonatal simulator.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising instructions for creating a custom scenario, wherein the instructions comprise:

providing a graphical user interface having a plurality of menus, wherein each of the menus includes multiple options;

enabling a scenario designer to select at least one option from the plurality of menus; and

executing the scenario using the selected option.

12. An interactive education system for teaching patient care to a user, the system comprising:

at least one adult simulator for providing adult critical care and obstetrics training to the user;

a fetal simulator for providing fetal critical care training to the user, wherein the fetal simulator can be used in conjunction with the adult simulator;

a neonatal simulator for providing neonatal critical care training to the user, wherein the neonatal simulator can be used in conjunction with the adult and fetal simulators;

a processor associated with at least one of the maternal and neonatal simulators, wherein the processor is operable to execute instructions corresponding to at least one patient care scenario;

an output means in communication with the processor, wherein the output means is operable to provide output based on the scenario and the user'"'"'s interaction with the maternal simulator or the neonatal simulator; and

instructions for creating a custom scenario, wherein the instructions comprise;

providing a graphical user interface having a plurality of menus, wherein each of the menus includes multiple options;

enabling a scenario designer to select at least one option from the plurality of menus; and

executing the scenario using the selected option, wherein the selected option is associated with a delivery profile for use in a birthing simulation.

13. A method for teaching patient care to a user utilizing a maternal simulator, a fetal simulator, and a neonatal simulator, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of adult care scenarios using the maternal simulator, wherein each adult care scenario presents the user with at least one adult critical care exercise or obstetrics exercise;

providing a plurality of fetal care scenarios using the fetal simulator, wherein each fetal care scenario presents the user with at least one fetal critical care exercise; and

providing a plurality of neonatal care scenarios using the neonatal simulator, wherein each neonatal care scenario presents the user with at least one neonatal critical care exercise, and wherein at least one of each of the adult care scenarios, fetal care scenarios, and neonatal care scenarios is combinable into a single patient care scenario.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the obstetrics exercise includes utilizing the fetal simulator in conjunction with the maternal simulator.

15. A method for teaching obstetrics care to a user utilizing a maternal simulator, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of training scenarios to a computer operatively coupled to the maternal simulator, wherein the training scenarios include a breach scenario, a uterine palpitation and massage scenario, a vacuum extraction scenario, and a forceps delivery scenario;

selecting at least one of the plurality of training scenarios; and

monitoring feedback provided by the maternal simulator to determine a quality of care achieved by the user with respect to the selected training scenario.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising selecting parameters for at least one of the plurality of training scenarios from a menu.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the menu is a pull down menu in a computer generated graphical user interface.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising designing a custom training scenario using a computer generated user interface.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the user interface utilizes a plurality of pull down menus having selectable options.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising enabling a scenario designer to select at least one option from the plurality of pull down menus, wherein execution of the custom training scenario includes the selected option.

21. An interactive system for providing critical care and obstetrics training to a user using a plurality of patient care modules, the system comprising:

a maternal simulator and a neonatal simulator, wherein the neonatal simulator can be used in conjunction with the maternal simulator;

a processor operably connected to at least one of the maternal and neonatal simulators; and

a memory accessible to the processor for storing instructions for execution by the processor, the instructions for;

generating a user interface for displaying at least one of the plurality of patient care modules;

enabling the user to select the displayed module;

executing the selected module; and

providing a plurality of configuration options, wherein the configuration options enable the user to configure the selected module, wherein the selected module is for obstetrics training, and wherein the configuration options include a delivery warp control configuration option, a delivery profile control configuration option, and a labor control configuration option.

22. The interactive system of claim 21 wherein the delivery warp control configuration option enables the user to compress a delivery cycle into a specified time frame.

23. The interactive system of claim 21 wherein the labor control configuration option comprises a frequency control, a duration control, and an intensity control.

24. The interactive system of claim 23 wherein the labor control configuration option is divided into a plurality of phases, wherein the phases include a latent phase, an active phase, a transition phase, and a phase 2 phase.

25. The interactive system of claim 21 further comprising instructions for implementing the configuration options using pull down menus.

26. The interactive system of claim 21 wherein the configuration options enable the user to configure patient information and a treatment history.

27. The interactive system of claim 26 wherein the patient information includes an age, a gender, and a weight.

28. The interactive system of claim 26 wherein the treatment history includes a medication type.

29. The interactive of claim 21 further comprising instructions for assigning each of the plurality of modules to a teaching group or a testing group.

30. The interactive system of claim 29 wherein the teaching group includes a physiology module, a pregnancy module, a complications module, a labor and birth module, a postpartum module, a maternal resuscitation module, and a neonatal resuscitation module.

31. The interactive system of claim 29 wherein the testing group includes a maternal resuscitation module, a neonatal resuscitation module, and a customizable module.

32. The interactive system of claim 21 further comprising instructions for a plurality of tutorials, wherein the tutorials include an automatic birthing tutorial, a fetal ultrasound tutorial, a fetal distress monitor tutorial, a vital signs tutorial, a birthing records tutorial, and a heart/lung sound tutorial.

33. The interactive system of claim 21 further comprising instructions for providing a plurality of sequential screen displays to the user and enabling the user to sequentially view the screen displays.

34. The interactive system of claim 21 further comprising instructions for providing a menu having an instrumentation option, a log option, an ECG sounds option, a communications port option, a help option, and an exit option.

35. The interactive system of claim 21 further comprising a fetal simulator, wherein the fetal simulator can be used in conjunction with the maternal simulator or separate from the maternal simulator.

36. The interactive system of claim 21 further comprising instructions for providing feedback based on an action of the user with respect to the selected module and the associated maternal or neonatal simulator.

37. The interactive system of claim 36 further comprising instructions for providing the feedback through a display device or an audio device.

38. The interactive system of claim 37 further comprising instructions for providing feedback each time the user performs a predefined action, wherein the feedback informs the user of the action'"'"'s success or failure.

39. The interactive system of claim 38 further comprising instructions for detailing a rationale behind the action'"'"'s success or failure.

40. The interactive system of claim 38 wherein the action is associated with a local, a national, or an international patient care protocol.

41. The interactive system of claim 37 further comprising instructions for presenting a question to the user, wherein the question is directed to training the user via the selected module.

42. The interactive system of claim 37 wherein the display device displays at least one of an electrocardiograph sweep and a heart rate indicator.

43. The interactive system of claim 37 further comprising instructions for displaying the use of an ultra sound transducer with the maternal simulator.

44. The interactive system of claim 37 further comprising instructions for displaying a fetal heart rate, wherein the fetal heart rate is associated with a fetal simulator used in conjunction with the maternal unit.

45. The interactive system of claim 37 further comprising instructions for a virtual instrument, wherein a position of the virtual instrument relative to at least one of the simulators results in a sound audible to the user.

46. The interactive system of claim 45 wherein the sound replicates a physiological sound.

47. The interactive system of claim 21 further comprising instructions for:

detecting a sound produced by the user; and

selecting the displayed module based on the sound.

48. The interactive system of claim 47 further comprising instructions for enabling interaction between the user and the module based on a plurality of sounds produced by the user.