Face-to-face clinical simulation has been a powerful methodology for teaching, learning, and research, and has positioned itself in health science education. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing has forced universities to abandon simulation centers and make use of alternatives that allow the continuation of educational programs safely for students and teachers through virtual environments such as distance simulation. In Latin America, before the pandemic, the use of non-presential simulation was very limited and anecdotal. This article has three main objectives: to establish the efficacy of online-synchronized clinical simulation in the learning and performance of medical students on the management of patients with COVID-19 in simulation centers of three Latin American countries, to determine the quality of the online debriefing from the students’ perspective, and to deepen the understanding of how learning is generated with this methodology.

Introduction: A powerful methodology for teaching, learning, and researching is clinical simulation, which has positioned itself in recent decades in health science education. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing has forced institutions to leave simulation centers and make use of new alternatives that allow the continuation of educational programs through virtual environments.Methods: We carried out a before-and-after design study that used online-synchronized clinical simulation (OSCSim) in three Latin American clinical simulation centers (Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico). The educational intervention included briefing, COVID-19 simulated cases, and structured debriefing through a meeting platform. We assessed the participants' learning and performance in diagnosis, treatment, and nontechnical skills for the management of patients with COVID-19. Satisfaction and learning perception were measured. The debriefing quality was evaluated from the student's perspective.Results: We had 106 participants. 46.2% from Colombia, 31.1% from Mexico, and 22.6% from Ecuador. A total of 51.9% were men, and the median age was 23 years (IQR: 22-26). A total of 34.9% were fourth-year students of medicine, 38% were fifth-year students, and 21.7% were anesthesia residents. Fourteen OSCSim sessions were performed; cognitive engagement was 43.4%, mainly interactive. A relationship was found between cognitive engagement, learning, situational awareness, and realism in the simulation. The quality of debriefing was ranked high by the participants, and they also agreed with the OSCSim methodology.Conclusion: OSCSim is an active and social learning activity that enables training and improvement of nontechnical skills and declarative knowledge about COVID-19 management. Nevertheless, it needs to be complemented in the procedural aspect in simulation centers.

Purpose of Review COVID-19 is a new, highly transmissible disease to which healthcare workers (HCWs) are exposed, especially in the intensive care unit (ICU). Information related to protection mechanisms is heterogeneous, and the infected HCWs’ number is increasing. This review intends to summarize the current knowledge and practices to protect ICU personnel during the patient management process in the context of the current pandemic. Recent Findings The transmission mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 are mainly respiratory droplets, aerosols, and contact. The virus can last for a few hours suspended in the air and be viable on surfaces for several days. Some procedures carried out in the ICU can generate aerosols. The shortage of respirators, such as the N95, has generated an increase in the demand for other protective equipment in critical care settings. Summary The probability of transmission depends on the characteristics of the pathogen, the availability of quality personal protective equipment, and the human factors associated with the performance of health workers. It is necessary to have knowledge of the virus and availability of the best possible personal protection equipment, develop skills for handling equipment, and develop non-technical skills during all intensive care process; this can be achieved through structured training.

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Telesimulación en la formación en medicina perioperatoria desde la perspectiva colombiana Telesimulation in perioperative medicine training from a Colombian perspective