Endovascular Simulation: A Systematic Review of the Validity Evidence, Methodology, Quality and Outcomes

Mark Glynn Davies
2020
Background: Vascular surgery as a specialty has undergone both a procedural and a training transformation over the last 10 years with the introduction of endovascular approaches and the birth of integrated residencies. As a result, a greater emphasis has been placed on endovascular simulation to accelerate skill acquisition at each level of training. The quality, validity and outcomes of endovascular simulation research have been poorly addressed. Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the
more » ... lidity evidence, research methods, reporting quality and outcomes that support simulation training in endovascular interventions. Methods: An electronic search for relevant articles published between January 2000 and December 2018 was performed to identify reports and publications on endovascular simulation. The search adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standards for systematic reviews. Selected studies were reviewed and evaluated for research quality, research bias, and validity evidence using frameworks of Messick and of Kane. Results: Sixty-six reports met the inclusion criteria. The skill sets assessed in these studies were basic skill sets in 24%, moderately difficult skills in 14%, complex skill set in 52%. Ten percent of studies used mixed skill sets . The total number of participants was 1453, and the average number of participants in the studies was 22 (SD 11, range 4-77). Participants were drawn from multiple specialties with vascular surgery being the dominant specialty in the papers encountered. When one examines the prevalence of key educational features of simulation, clinical variation, repetitive practice and feedback were the dominant features employed. The majority of studies used time to complete a task as a marker of improved performance, which are derived from the particular simulator used in the study. Applying the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning Standards of Best Practice for simulation to the 66 s [...]
doi:10.25417/uic.12481154.v1 fatcat:abapewuxovaatczp5jmk3ar55y