Effectiveness of simulated patients in geriatric education: A scoping review

Abstract

Background: Global healthcare systems are adapting to meet the demands of an aging population. It is essential to prepare our healthcare workers on complex and unique issues in the treatment of older adults. Past studies have shown that simulated patients are a valuable teaching tool in training current and prospective healthcare professionals. Few studies have examined its use in the geriatric context.

Objectives: This scoping review presents the effectiveness of simulated patients in healthcare education for geriatric care and eldercare purposes among current and prospective healthcare professionals.

Data sources: Search on CINAHL, Cochrane, ScienceDirect and Medline were completed on studies published between January 2009 to January 2020. A manual hand searching of reference lists for relevant articles was also conducted.

Review methods: This scoping review follows the methods of Arksey and O-Malley to synthesize the literature on simulated patients in the teaching of geriatric care to current and prospective healthcare professionals. Inclusion criteria were, primary studies, with full-text articles, and in English.

Results: Fifteen articles were included in this review. These articles were of wide variation by study design, settings, populations. Four broad themes were identified from existing literature: (i) improvement in geriatric knowledge, (ii) improvement in technical and non-technical skills, (iii) greater confidence in clinical and non-clinical skills, and (iv) learners' perception towards simulation as a learning pedagogy.

Conclusion: Simulated patients may have potential in improving geriatric education. Students generally enjoyed the learning methodology, finding it engaging and easy to learn by practising. Future studies could consider engaging simulated patients in the teaching pedagogy of geriatric teaching for current or prospective healthcare professionals.

Keywords: Education; Elderly; Geriatric; Healthcare; Patient simulation; Scoping review; Simulation training.