Simulation-Based Education for the Rural Pediatric Trauma Team

Traumatic injury is the leading cause of death in children ages 0 17 years1. Less than 10% of injured children receive care at a pediatric trauma center or children’s hospital due to limited resources, distance, and a regional absence of pediatric surgeons and/or specialists2. Pediatric trauma patients are often taken to the nearest emergency department (ED), even that ED may not be equipped to provide the best care specific to the pediatric trauma patient’s needs. For most of these EDs as well as prehospital transporters, pediatric trauma care, is a low-frequency, yet high-stakes, event that may generate significant anxiety among providers3. The limited resources and infrequent exposure makes it challenging for staff to maintain the skills necessary for efficient and successful care of the pediatric trauma patient. Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) is an existing standardized resuscitation course but it offers minimal education in pediatric trauma care. Numerous studies have demonstrated the utility of in situ simulation-based training as both a tool for assessment and educational intervention with respect to trauma team function, efficacy, communication, and overall improvement in early trauma care provided, but few have evaluated its efficacy within the pediatric population4-7. The focus of this review is to provide the trauma community with an overview of the recent literature regarding the utility of simulation-based education initiatives within the field of pediatric trauma, encourage the application of these initiatives to rural or smaller community hospital settings, and discuss potential future research directions.