Measuring the Anatomical Accuracy and Functionality of Simulation Models

When selecting high-quality medical simulation models, those involved in medical education, students, and healthcare facilities begin with two principle criteria: anatomical accuracy and functionality. These two qualities affect training effectiveness and the outcomes of one’s practice. Inaccuracy teaches wrong techniques, whereas a non-functional model fails to replicate real-life clinical situations. The following provides a simple approach to understanding and examining these two criteria in practice to ensure your model provides training value that is worth documenting.

Three Key Checks for Evaluating Anatomical Accuracy

Anatomical accuracy is the extent to which a model correlates with human anatomy down to the fine details of organs and tissues. The following three methods assess anatomical accuracy.

Refer to Anatomical References. Models can be referenced with books such as Gray’s Anatomy and compared with 3D digital anatomy databases like Visible Body. A knee joint model, for example, should have realistic human anatomical ligaments (ACL and PCL), contours of the bones, and layers of tissues (cartilage, and synovium), and ligaments should be positioned correctly.

Check for Measurements and Size. The model’s scale should conform to realistic human dimensions because certain procedures require accuracy like injection training. A 5-year-old’s arm should be the size of the pediatric arm, the model should not be the size of an adult’s arm.

Examine the Specifics Carefully: Small, yet essential features require thorough examination. A heart model should show correct branching of the coronary arteries. A skin suture model should show epidermis and dermis layers and appropriate texture to give the correct feel of human skin when stitching to aid in skin suturing training.

Assessing Functionality

The model assesses whether the physical or physiological responses of an actual patient are modeled. Here are some practical assessments to consider:

Assess the Model’s Procedure Compatibility: Test the model with clinical tools. An IV training arm should permit real needle insertions, simulate blood flow with a built-in fluid system, and give an appropriate “pop” feedback from the vein just like a real arm. A CPR mannequin should permit compressions of the chest to the correct depth (5-6 cm) and simulate breath sounds when using a bag-valve-mask.

Assess response realism: For the advanced models, see if they simulate the patient response. A trauma mannequin should alter vital signs (e.g. blood pressure drop) when a “bleeding wound” is left unchecked. A childbirth model should simulate cervical dilation and fetal descent.

Test the model to the limits: Functional models are often designed to withstand frequent training. A suture model “skin” should withstand tears after 50+ stitches and an intubation model’s airway should withstand multiple tube insertions.

Trusted Certification and User Feedback

Having a third party check and validate your evaluations builds trust.

For Industry Certifications, check models that have been certified by bodies like the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH) or have ISO standards (ISO 13485 for medical devices). These models have passed rigorous standards for precision and safety.

For User Testimonials, check feedback from other healthcare educators. For instance, if several nursing schools endorse a catheterization model for its realistic urethra path, that’s probably a dependable option.