PDS Medical Solutions® Perfusion Simulator

StephenPetersonBS,CCP,RVT,CST,&FAPresidentandCEOofPDSMedicalSolutions®

This simulator was created to provide a way for a perfusionist to

practice without putting patients at risk. Knowing how to react in a

dynamicenvironment iscrucial.Perfusionistsmustknowwhichaction

totakeinanunpredictablescenario.Mydeviceoffersasimpleone-on-

one approach to allow the teacher to create scenarios and allow the

student to react. By changing variables with simple switches, the

teachercanpresentachallengethatthestudentmaythentrytosolve.

PDSPerfusionSimulatorPrototype

Lightsonadisplaypanelwilldepict thechallenge the teacherhas set,

and the student must correct them using the appropriate methods.

Whilesimplesituationsmayproveaneasyfix,morecomplexscenarios

canbedisplayedwhichoffergreaterchallengeandhigherrisk.Knowing

how to correct these more complex scenarios will offer a student

greaterabilitytodealwiththecomplicationsthattheymayfaceinareal

case.Thestudentpanelhasbeendesignedtoprovidethemostrealistic

simulation of the heart-lung machines that they operate during real

cases. Both dials and switches are used to simulate the correction of

deficienciesduringopen-heartsurgery.LEDlightsonthedisplaypanel

showcurrentconditions,andreflectthedeficienciessetbytheteacher

orcorrectionsmadebythestudent.

SimulatorDiagram

StudentResponsePanel

Whenaperfusionistoperatesaheart-lungmachine, itnormalrequires

at least 16 switches or dials to make adjustments. Over 17 different

medications are commonly used during procedures. These all require

continuousmonitoring. In an ideal bypass operation, the perfusionist

must monitor and document events as they occur. For example,

Cardioplegiadose,temperature,clampsonoroff,pumpsonoroff,and

medicationsadministeredareallmonitoredanddocumentedwithinthe

patientrecord.

Theteacherpanelcontrolstheerrorsthataredisplayedonthedisplay

screen. LED lights indicate the problems, which the instructor has

created. The student then must react to those situations, toggling

switchesordialstocorrecttheproblem.Ifthestudentreactscorrectly,

the LED panel lights will switch to green indicating the student has

solved the discrepancy. Lights that turn blue indicate the value is too

low,andredlightsindicateavalueistoohigh.

TeacherControlPanel

In summary, the PDS Perfusion Simulator will allow a teacher to

simulaterealworldcomplicationsandofferthestudenttheopportunity

to learn how to correct these situations prior to facing themduring a

case. Ideally, the student can use an electronic medical recording

programtodocumenttheeventsandlearntousePerfusionProonthe

simulations. By providing real world simulations, the student will be

better equipped to face the challenging and dynamic situations they

may face during a real case. I have also created an electronic

documentationsolutionthatofferscompleteSTSdatacollectionforthis

very reason. By better understanding the situations that perfusionists

DisplayPanel

face, and documenting cases in such a thorough manner, trends and

analysiswill improvecaseoutcomes,whichwill improvethequalityof

serviceprovidedandultimatelypatienthealth.