Interactive education system for teaching patient care

• US 7,811,090 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2006
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: gaumard scientific company, inc
• Original Assignee: gaumard scientific company, inc
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Alberto, Eggert, John S., Eggert, Michael S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fernstrom; Kurt
• Application Number:
  US11/538,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20070122785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,470 Days
• Field of Search: 434/267, 434/268, 434/272, 434/273, 446/320, 446/330, 446/353
• US Class Current: 434/273
• 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: G16H 50/50 for simulation or modelling of medical disorders
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

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. In one aspect, the system includes a maternal simulator, a fetal simulator, and a neonatal simulator.

Claims

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

a maternal simulator having a mechanism for providing translational and selective rotational movement to a fetal simulator in a birthing simulation; and

the fetal simulator to be used in conjunction with the maternal simulator and separate from the maternal simulator in post-birth simulations, wherein the fetal simulator includes a device for selective engagement with the mechanism of the maternal simulator;

wherein the fetal simulator is not removeable from the maternal simulator during birthing simulation when the device is selectively engaged and wherein the fetal simulator is removeable from the maternal simulator during birthing simulation when the device is not selectively engaged.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the fetal simulator includes a head portion adapted to facilitate vacuum extraction of the fetal simulator in the birthing simulation.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the fetal simulator includes a head sensor for monitoring a force applied to the head portion during the birthing simulation.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the head sensor is positioned in a neck portion of the simulator adjacent the head portion.

5. The system of claim 3 further comprising an output device in communication with the head sensor, the output device operable to provide output based upon the amount of force applied.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the device is located within a torso of the fetal simulator.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the fetal simulator includes two shoulder portions and a shoulder sensor disposed within each shoulder portion, the shoulder sensors for monitoring a force applied to the shoulder portion during the birthing simulation.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the fetal simulator includes two hip portions and a hip sensor within each hip portion, the hip sensors for monitoring a force applied to the hip portion during the birthing simulation.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the fetal simulator includes a sensor for monitoring a force applied to the fetal simulator during the birthing simulation.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising an output device in communication with the sensor, the output device operable to provide output based upon the amount of force applied to the fetal simulator.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the fetal simulator comprises a model of at least a portion of a human body including simulated heart and lungs.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the fetal simulator is sized to approximate an average sized neonate at a gestational age selected from the group consisting of 28 weeks and 40 weeks.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the fetal simulator includes an air supply system connected to the lungs for simulating breathing.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the air supply system includes a compressor, a primary accumulator connected to the compressor, a secondary accumulator connected to the compressor, and a compressor controller in communication with the compressor for controlling an output pressure of the compressor.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the compressor is insulated by a noise barrier.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the noise barrier includes a first layer made of an acoustic barrier material and a second layer made of a mass barrier material.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the compressor and noise barrier are located in a head portion of the neonatal simulator and the primary and secondary accumulators are located in a pair of legs of the neonatal simulator.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein the air supply system is connected to a simulated circulatory system.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the air supply system is further adapted to provide a simulated pulse to the simulated circulatory system.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the fetal simulator includes a central portion;

a peripheral portion disposed radially distant from the central portion; and

a mechanism for independently changing the color of the central portion and peripheral portion to simulate cyanosis of the fetal simulator.

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

a maternal simulator having a mechanism for providing rotational and translational movement to a fetal simulator in a birthing simulation; and

the fetal simulator for use in conjunction with the maternal simulator and separate from the maternal simulator in post-birth simulations;

wherein the maternal simulator is operable without physical connection to an external device;

wherein the fetal simulator is operable without physical connection to an external device;

wherein the fetal simulator includes a device for selective engagement with the mechanism of the maternal simulator, wherein the fetal simulator is not removeable from the maternal simulator during birthing simulation when the device is selectively engaged and wherein the fetal simulator is removeable from the maternal simulator during birthing simulation when the device is not selectively engaged.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the maternal simulator further includes an internal power supply.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the internal power supply includes at least one rechargeable power cell.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein fetal simulator comprises a model of at least a portion of a human body including simulated heart and lungs.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the fetal simulator includes an air supply system connected to the lungs for simulating breathing, the air supply system having a compressor, a primary accumulator connected to the compressor, a secondary accumulator connected to the compressor, and a compressor controller in communication with the compressor for controlling an output pressure of the compressor.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the compressor is insulated by a noise barrier, the noise barrier having a first layer made of an acoustic barrier material and a second layer made of a mass barrier material.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the compressor and the noise barrier are located in a head portion of the neonatal simulator and the primary and secondary accumulators are located in a pair of legs of the neonatal simulator.

28. The system of claim 21 wherein the wherein a portion of the mechanism of the maternal simulator is selectively moveable between a first position for providing rotational movement to the fetal simulator and a second position that does not cause rotational movement to the fetal simulator.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the portion of the mechanism is selectively moveable to a third position between the first position and the second position, the third position providing less rotational movement to the fetal simulator than the first position.

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

a maternal simulator having a mechanism for providing translational and selective rotational movement to a fetal simulator in a birthing simulation; and

the fetal simulator to be used in conjunction with the maternal simulator, wherein the fetal simulator includes a device for selective engagement with the mechanism of the maternal simulator;

wherein the fetal simulator is not removable from the maternal simulator during birthing simulation when the device is selectively engaged and wherein the fetal simulator is removable from the maternal simulator during birthing simulation when the device is not selectively engaged.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the fetal simulator comprises a model of at least a portion of a human body including simulated heart and lungs.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the maternal simulator is operable without physical connection to an external device.