Diarrhoea.

Abstract

The training mannikins and models are not human beings and cannot replace clinical experience. We believe, however, that they form a very useful bridge, particularly for the uninitiated. A medical student or nurse is much more likely to pass an endotracheal tube satisfactorily in the anaesthetic room if he has practised with an intubating model. The production of the cassette for each lesson is not easy-as the teachers, who are familiar with the apparatus, tend to take short cuts that are obvious to them but not to the novice. This was noticed in our prototype cassettes which were tested with trainees and then revised in the light of experience. The market for such a teaching arrangement is wide and the equipment and cassettes may be varied to suit all grades, from lay staff to senior doctors. Possibly the idea will appeal to many district general hospitals who have a responsibility to teach resuscitation.20 Once established, the facilities of the room may be offered to local general practitioners; district nurses and health visitors; and members of the emergency services. Large industrial concerns may also wish to apply the concept for training basic resuscitation to selected employees. In the district general hospital it may well be decided to locate the room in the postgraduate centre, and it may even be possible to teach other practical skills outside resuscitation using the combination of self-assessment models with audiovisual aids. We are grateful to the British Heart Foundation, who kindly supported this project by a generous grant. We also thank Miss Jackie Foster. who prepared the manuscript.