The role of simulation-based training in healthcare-associated infection (HAI) prevention.

OBJECTIVES

To perform a review of the literature on the role of simulation-based training (SBT) in healthcare-associated infection (HAI) prevention and to highlight the importance of SBT as an educational tool in infection prevention.

METHODS

We reviewed English language publications from PubMed to select original articles that utilized SBT as the primary mode of education for infection prevention efforts in acute-care hospitals.

RESULTS

Overall, 27 publications utilized SBT as primary mode of education for HAI prevention in acute-care hospitals. Training included the following: hand hygiene in 3 studies (11%), standard precaution in 1 study (4%), disaster preparedness in 4 studies (15%), central-line-associated blood stream infection (CLABSI) prevention in 14 studies (52%), catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) prevention in 2 studies (7%), surgical site infection prevention in 2 studies (7%), and ventilatory associated pneumonia prevention in 1 study (4%). SBT improved learner's sense of competence and confidence, increased knowledge and compliance in infection prevention measures, decreased HAI rates, and reduced healthcare costs.

CONCLUSION

SBT can function as a teaching tool in day-to-day infection prevention efforts as well as in disaster preparedness. SBT is underutilized in infection prevention but can serve as a crucial educational tool.