Design, assembly and validation of a low-cost, high-fidelity simulator for heart exploration

• Main Authors: Ulises Sánchez-Vásquez, Alba B. Daniel-Guerrero, Eduardo Méndez-Gutiérrez, Sara Morales-López, Isabel I. Tovar-Lozano, Marco A. Martínez-Rodríguez, Israel E. Uribe-Campos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Permanyer 2021-01-01
• Series: Gaceta Médica de México
• Subjects: Heart simulator. Low cost. Realism. Education. Competence.
• Online Access: https://www.gacetamedicademexico.com/frame_esp.php?id=540

Introduction: Heart exploration is an essential clinical competence that requires continuous training and exposure. Low availability and accessibility to patients with heart disease constitutes a barrier to acquiring this competence. Inadequate cardiac auscultation skills in medical students, residents, and graduate physicians have been documented. Objective: To develop and validate a low-cost, high-fidelity simulator for heart exploration. Methods: A low-cost, high-fidelity heart examination simulator capable of reproducing normal cardiac sounds was designed and developed. Subsequently, the simulator was validated by a group of experts who gave their opinion according to a Likert scale. Results: Ninety-four percent agreed that the simulator motivates the learning of heart exploration, and 92 % considered it to be a realistic model; 91 % considered that the simulator is an attractive tool to reinforce learning and 98 % recommended its further use. Conclusions: The use of the simulator facilitates the acquisition of skills and stimulates learning in the student, which can be attributed to repeated practice, longer exposure time and cognitive interaction.