| Popis: |
Background The medical simulation environment is a specific type of work environment. It would seem essential for educators to have a tool with which they could identify its features to maximize the effectiveness of medical simulation – teachers’ workplace - and optimize their work efforts. The purpose of this research study was to construct a proprietary tool, which would help to characterize the medical simulation environment as a type of work environment and also to identify particular factors that are important in organizing the educational environment in simulation. Methods At first, six faculty members took part in semi-structured interviews, whose findings were used to develop a standardized questionnaire consisting of 30 items. The authors then validated the questionnaire in a survey among the other 32 academic teachers involved in teaching with the use of medical simulation. Results The Work In Simulation Healthcare questionnaire addresses the aspects of teaching in a simulation environment referring to technical-administrative conditions, teacher development, and the overall score. The Cronbach's alpha reliability index for the overall result of the questionnaire is α = 8.22 based on standardized items; the reliability index for the scale of ‘the technical and administrative conditions’ and ‘the professional development of teachers’ is α = 0,57 and α = 0,76, respectively. The questionnaire allowed the authors to know the ratings of academic teachers for the two scales. Conclusions The Work In Simulation Healthcare questionnaire allows educators to identify the traits of the simulation-teaching environment. It provides the potential to optimize the conditions of medical simulation, improve the quality of teaching and the overall educational process, as well as design effective faculty development programs. The authors of this study consider the WISH questionnaire the first method of this type. |
