目的:没有经历过衰老或残疾带来的困难的临床医生可能无法与患病患者的局限性和经历联系起来,这对于改善患者与提供者的联系和治疗结果是必要的。这项研究的目的是测试衰老模拟经验对提高牙科学生对衰老相关局限性的认识的有效性,检查学生的感知,并根据老化模拟经验评估计划的患者护理修改。
方法:从2021年8月到2022年10月,共有78名牙科学生在两个校外诊所进行轮换,完成了模拟前调查。在牙科手术室穿上老化模拟器,启动预定义的任务及其相应的修改,完成了模拟后的调查,并完成了一份包含结构化和开放式问题的反思问卷。使用描述性频率和配对样本t检验分析定量反应,而主题分析用于解释反思问卷的自由文本部分。
结果:体验后,学生对四种与衰老相关的残疾的影响的认识有所改善。视觉障碍被确定为模拟过程中最困难的症状。学生报告了同理心的增加,并承认临床实践修改以适应有局限性的老年患者的有效性。学生还表达了在未来的临床实践中进行类似修改的意图,以及需要暴露于更长时期的模拟经验以进一步修改老年患者的临床实践。
结论:模拟衰老的经验是提高牙科学生对衰老相关困难的认识的有效工具,需要修改临床实践,增加同理心。
OBJECTIVE: Clinicians who have not experienced the difficulties that come with aging or disability may be unable to relate to the limitations and experiences of afflicted patients, which is necessary to improve patient-provider connection and treatment outcomes. The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of an aging-simulation experience on improving dental students\' awareness of aging-related limitations, examine the students\' perceptions, and assess planned patient-care modifications based on the aging-simulation experience.
METHODS: A total of 78 dental students who rotated through two extramural clinic sites from August 2021 through October 2022 completed pre-simulation surveys, donned aging simulators in the dental operatory, initiated pre-defined tasks and their corresponding modifications, completed a post-simulation survey, and completed a reflection questionnaire containing structured and open-ended questions. Quantitative responses were analyzed using descriptive frequencies and paired sample t-tests, whereas thematic analyses were used to interpret free-text portion of the reflection questionnaire.
RESULTS: Student awareness of the impact of the four aging-related disabilities improved after the experience. Visual impairment was identified as the most difficult symptom to experience during simulation. Students reported increased feelings of empathy and acknowledged the effectiveness of clinical practice modifications to accommodate elderly patients with limitations. Students also expressed intentions to make similar modifications in their future clinical practice and the need for exposure to longer periods of simulated experiences to further clinical practice modifications for elderly patients.
CONCLUSIONS: The aging-simulation experience is an effective tool for raising dental students\' awareness of aging-related difficulties, the need for clinical practice modifications, and increasing empathy.