The development of a stroke sequelae patient simulator and its educational effects on medical students

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K20890
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Medical sociology; Rehabilitation science/Welfare engineering
• Research Institution: Hirosaki University
• Principal Investigator: Kobayashi Tadashi 弘前大学, 医学部附属病院, 助教 (10736391)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: シミュレーター / 介護動作 / 脳卒中後遺症 / 関節拘縮 / 寝たきり / 教育 / 高齢者 / 骨折

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This project aims to develop a stroke-sequelae patient’s simulator, especially lower-limb contracture simulator that assumes bedridden elderly patients with sequelae of stroke, and to evaluate its educational effects on medical students. In FY 2016, we developed a prototype model of joint contracture using a ready-made care simulator with external fixation such as casts for fractures. After that, in collaboration with a domestic company, we developed a “hip joint contracture simulator” equipped with sensors that could inform learners of alarming of fractures due to strong force or overload. From the end of the 2017 FY, we researched educational effects for medical students. This result suggested that it could be useful for nurturing the feelings of the parties in the caring accident and the sincere attitude towards the people, especially care parties and patients’’ family, in addition to the practical skill acquisition.

Free Research Field

総合診療、医学教育、シミュレータ・医療機器開発、疼痛学、超音波検査

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

現在日本では、「寝たきり高齢者」の介護負担による医療職や患者家族の「介護退職」が増えている。介護者一人ひとりの負担を軽減するためには、医療者のみならず一般人も脳卒中後遺症患者に対する適切な介護技術を習得する必要がある。本研究で開発した、脳卒中後遺症による寝たきり高齢者を想定した「右股関節拘縮シミュレーター」を活用した介護技術習得は、医師・看護師・介護士の卒前教育、患者家族の介護技術学習、介護される患者の苦痛軽減、介護事故の減少に役立つ可能性がある。