Simmi Patel, Marvellous A Akinlotan, Katy Nimmons, Dan Burch
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose: Clinicians who have not experienced the difficulties that come with aging or disability may be unable to relate to the limitations and experiences of afflicted patients, which is necessary to improve patient-provider connection and treatment outcomes. The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of an aging-simulation experience on improving dental students' awareness of aging-related limitations, examine the students' perceptions, and assess planned patient-care modifications based on the aging-simulation experience.
Methods: A total of 78 dental students who rotated through two extramural clinic sites from August 2021 through October 2022 completed pre-simulation surveys, donned aging simulators in the dental operatory, initiated pre-defined tasks and their corresponding modifications, completed a post-simulation survey, and completed a reflection questionnaire containing structured and open-ended questions. Quantitative responses were analyzed using descriptive frequencies and paired sample t-tests, whereas thematic analyses were used to interpret free-text portion of the reflection questionnaire.
Results: Student awareness of the impact of the four aging-related disabilities improved after the experience. Visual impairment was identified as the most difficult symptom to experience during simulation. Students reported increased feelings of empathy and acknowledged the effectiveness of clinical practice modifications to accommodate elderly patients with limitations. Students also expressed intentions to make similar modifications in their future clinical practice and the need for exposure to longer periods of simulated experiences to further clinical practice modifications for elderly patients.
Conclusion: The aging-simulation experience is an effective tool for raising dental students' awareness of aging-related difficulties, the need for clinical practice modifications, and increasing empathy.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Dental Education (JDE) is a peer-reviewed monthly journal that publishes a wide variety of educational and scientific research in dental, allied dental and advanced dental education. Published continuously by the American Dental Education Association since 1936 and internationally recognized as the premier journal for academic dentistry, the JDE publishes articles on such topics as curriculum reform, education research methods, innovative educational and assessment methodologies, faculty development, community-based dental education, student recruitment and admissions, professional and educational ethics, dental education around the world and systematic reviews of educational interest. The JDE is one of the top scholarly journals publishing the most important work in oral health education today; it celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2016.