Design of Mock Code Using Simulation

Mock code is one of the nursing education topics that use games, simulation or a virtual world. For the purposes of this assignment, nursing students have been chosen as the audience for the nursing education topic (mock codes). Whereas there are various instructional delivery tools for this topic, simulation has been selected as the best instructional tool for mock codes. Simulation enables the nursing students to get the experience of handling stressful clinical situations in a laboratory instead of experiencing the same condition in a real work environment where the life of the patient is at stake (Simko, Henry, McGinnis & Kolesar, 2014).

The effectiveness of simulation as a nursing instructional tool has increased over the years mainly because of the scarcity of the clinical teaching sites in a world of rising patient acuity. Additionally, simulation has been described by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report as an effective teaching strategy that is useful in ensuring errors are reduced in not only nursing but the entire medical profession. According to the IOM report, “…health care organizations and teaching institutions should participate in the development and use of simulation for training novice practitioners, problem solving, and crisis management…” (IOM as cited in Sinko et al., 2014).

Design of Mock code Using Simulation

            Aiming to establish whether mock code participation using a simulation manikin increases the nursing students’ knowledge during a code, a pretest-posttest design was implemented. The process involved giving the nursing students a pre-test, and a review of the guidelines of the Advanced Cardiac Life Support. The students were also assigned computer-aided instructions that comprise multiple code cases as well as readings on cardiac resuscitation. The nursing students were also assigned roles with specific objectives for each role and expectations from every activity specified. Then followed the experiencing the code and videotaping with a simulation manikin after which debriefing followed, and posttest was completed by the students (Sinko et al., 2014).

Advantages and Disadvantages of Mock Code

            Mock codes have become synonymous with many organizations and hospitals conducting mock codes at least four times a year (Sinko et al., 2014). The issue of response time in hospitals, especially in cases of emergency dictate the survival chances of the patient. Such factors as the location of the patient, the time of the day, among other factors may vary resulting in the wastage of clinical minutes. For patients who require life support, nurses’ response time of initiating the machine determines whether they survive or succumb. Mock codes have various benefits and weaknesses as cite below (Sinko et al., 2014).

Advantages

            To begin with, running mock codes ensures that the skills of the nursing or medical staff are kept sharp in a non-life-threatening setting (Sinko et al., 2014). Since mock codes do not involve the real work situation where nurses and the medical team do not deal with patients in critical conditions, the experience does not put human life in danger. Instead, it helps the nurses sharpen their resuscitation skills which will help them save lives during real-life on work situations.

            In addition to the abovementioned, conducting mock codes in a facility helps in ensuring the availability of medications as well as the equipment (Sinko et al., 2014). Mock codes imitate the real work situation which requires the use of specific and appropriate machines and medicine and therefore any unavailability of the equipment or medicine will be realized and necessary measures are taken. Besides, it is useful in ensuring the staff is aware of the location of equipment and drugs within the facility as well as how to use them (Sinko et al., 2014).

            Running mock codes also help in reminding the staff of their roles during a code (Sinko et al., 2014). Both the ancillary and the team members have their roles clarified while undertaking a code. Defining the roles ensures that no confusion arises during work situations and eliminates unnecessary wastage of time.

            By conducting a mock code, a traffic control plan is established that helps in maintaining order the patient’s visitors or family or even medical staff crowd the area (Sinko et al., 2014). Crowding can lead to wastage of time, cause confusion, and deny the patient of the ample environment for treatment. Therefore, by enabling the establishment of a traffic control plan, mock code helps in improving the performance standards in providing quality care.

Disadvantage

            Despite its contribution to health care, mock code has been considered by some as not presenting the real-world situation through the use of technology (Sinko et al., 2014). Since technology is used, nurses and medical practitioners taking part in the process sometimes consider it as a mere imitation of the real process. With such a mindset, the results from mock code might not necessarily reflect the real-life experience. Besides, the nurses are prepared for mock codes which are different from the emergency situations in work settings (Sinko et al., 2014).

Impact of Technological Tools on the Future of Nursing Education

            The impact of technological tools in nursing education has increased with the increased use of technology in the field of medicine, and nursing in particular. The future of nursing education will be pegged on the future of nursing technology and as US Department of Education states, ”…it links teachers to their students and professional content, resources, and systems to help them improve their own instruction and personalize learning” (US Department of Education as cited in Day-Black, 2015)

            The future of nursing education in the phase of the invention of the simulations will involve increased use of electronic, training manikins (Day-Black, 2015). With this technology, an instructor can program the manikin to imitate the situations that can face nurses in their practice. Nursing students can observe the symptoms they observe from the manikin and make care decisions. The system offers a good environment for nursing students to exercise critical thinking and improve their decision-making skills (Day-Black, 2015).

            Mobile technology is another tool that is increasingly being used in the nursing field. Through mobile technology, nursing students and practicing nurses can access medical textbooks, diagnosis and drug references via their phone applications (Day-Black, 2015). Various nursing programs vary based on the different technological tools they use with every program introducing new technology every day. To this end, therefore, the future is likely to bring forth new technological tools and methods of improving nursing education which will, in turn, be translated into improved patient safety.

References

Day-Black, C. (2015). Using Mobile Devices in Nursing Education. ABNF Journal, 26(4).

Simko, L. C., Henry, R., McGinnis, K. A., & Kolesar, A. L. (2014). Simulation and mock code: A safe way for nursing students to learn. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 4(7), 95.