Exploring oral and maxillofacial dental core trainees' perceptions of preparedness for practice after a high-fidelity simulation course to teach emergencies.

Abstract

Many dental core trainees (DCT) feel unprepared to manage unwell patients and emergent situations. Simulation-based education (SBE) is a widely used educational intervention that can facilitate learning without compromising patient safety, and increase preparedness for emergencies. To supplement the predominantly positivist relevant literature, this study endeavoured to answer a research gap through in-depth, meaningful enquiry. The aim was to explore the perceptions of preparedness for practice of oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) DCTs following a one-day, high-fidelity SBE course. The construct under study was preparedness for practice. The study was grounded in the conceptual frameworks of social cognitive theory, constructivist principles, and experiential learning theory. DCTs who had attended an SBE course underwent semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis of the data generated four main themes: realism; safe learning environment; community of practice; and DCT as a unique experience. The results outlined the importance of physical and psychological fidelity within the SBE design, debrief facilitated by experienced, multidisciplinary faculty, and incorporation of learning through peer-observation, as important SBE features to advance DCT learning and subsequent preparedness. The conclusions reflected participants' positivity about SBE as an educational technique to increase their preparedness. Overall, the findings illustrate a wide range of benefits from SBE in this context, the concepts of which other educationalists could consider adopting as a medical education strategy to improve DCTs' preparedness for OMFS.