Utilization of Hybrid Simulation: Effectiveness in Preparing Athletic Training Students for the Assessment and Treatment of Exertional Heat Stroke

Context: Athletic training education can continue to move towards more evidence-based teaching through establishing effective instructional methods of providing authentic learning opportunities. Objective: To examine the effectiveness of two different instructional methods impact on pre-athletic training students’ assessment and treatment of a patient with exertional heat stroke (EHS). Design: A pretest, posttest randomization control trial study design was utilized. Setting: Five undergraduate athletic training programs. Participants: Thirty-six pre-athletic training students volunteered to participate. Thirty-two participants completed the research study. Interventions: All participants received an educational packet and classroom presentation regarding EHS. Participants then completed the pre-intervention Knowledge, Preferences, and Practices of Certified Athletic Trainers Regarding Recognition and Treatment of Exertional Heat Stroke survey. Approximately 2-3 weeks after receiving the educational material, the participants completed HS or CBL intervention protocol and completed the post-intervention KPP-EHS survey. The HS intervention consisted of a clinical scenario utilizing a standardized patient and rectal thermometer task trainer. The CBL intervention utilized completing a case-study worksheet regarding a clinical scenario. At the 6-week follow-up time point participants completed the KPP-EHS survey. Main Outcome Measures: Composite and subscale scores from the KPP-EHS survey. Results: A factorial repeated measure 2×3 ANOVA revealed a statistically significant main effect for time of the total composite score of both groups. Bonferroni post-hoc testing revealed a statistically significant difference between time points 1 and 2 and time points 1 and 3. Conclusions: Athletic training educators should consider the use of HS and CBL in conjunction with didactic course work to prepare students to approximately manage EHS. Both interventions were shown to improve and maintain an increase in knowledge at the 6-week follow-up time point.