Simulator Session

Along with the usual lectures on sedation, acute pain management, preoperative evaluation, etc., we had a session with a simulator. These high tech mannequins act like a real patient in the OR and are controlled by a faculty member behind the scenes. The patient talks, breathes, and acts like a real person. We draw up drugs, induce anesthesia, watch the vital signs and monitors, and intubate the patient. The simulator session is a good teaching tool to train us in thinking independently. We had two cases, one involving hypoxia and one involving hypotension. When we watch our residents or attendings handle these situations in the OR, things seem smooth, under control, and manageable. But in the simulator session, I felt anxious, tense, and apprehensive as our "patient" began to crash. When we are responsible, it's a lot harder to remember all the steps of intubation or decide which drugs and what dosage to push or even evaluate the clinical situation. It was a great experience in teaching us how to handle these stressful situations and not to take a resident or attending's composure for granted.