Clinical training: a simulation program for phlebotomy

BACKGROUND Basic clinical skills training in the Japanese medical education system has traditionally incorporated on-the-job training with patients. Recently, the complementary use of simulation techniques as part of this training has gained popularity. It is not known, however, whether the participants view this new type of education program favorably; nor is the impact of this program known. In this study we developed a new simulation-based training program in phlebotomy for new medical residents and assessed their satisfaction with the program METHODS The education program comprised two main components: simulator exercise sessions and the actual drawing of blood from other trainees. At the end of the session, we surveyed participant sentiment regarding the program. RESULTS There were 43 participants in total. In general, they were highly satisfied with the education program, with all survey questions receiving scores of 3 or more on a scale of 1-5 (mean range: 4.3 - 4.8), with 5 indicating the highest level of satisfaction. Additionally, their participation as a 'patient' for their co-trainees was undertaken willingly and was deemed to be a valuable experience. CONCLUSION We developed and tested an education program using a simulator for blood collection. We demonstrated a high satisfaction level among the participants for this unique educational program and expect that it will improve medical training, patient safety, and quality of care. The development and dissemination of similar educational programs involving simulation for other basic clinical skills will be undertaken in the future.