ResusSim 98 - a PC advanced life support trainer

Advanced life support (ALS) requires several different skills and the recal l of complex information. The personal computer is an ideal tool for the te aching of factual information. We have developed a computer programme that simulates a variety of cardiac arrest scenarios. Its aim is to communicate specialist knowledge to junior staff in a challenging and entertaining way. Each scenario has a real time EGG, clinical signs of the simulated patient , blood pressure, oxygen saturation and temperature. Arterial blood samples can be analysed and the medical record can be reviewed. Interventions avai lable include defibrillation, intubation, fluid and drug therapy. Built-in variation means that repeating a scenario may lead to different patient beh aviour. An important part of the programme is the intelligent debriefing of the user after each patient. Each action elicits a comment that is based u pon the current European Resuscitation Council guidelines. This is then hyp erlinked to an extensive help file that includes the text of the guidelines , diagrams, pictures and algorithms that aid the user in the learning of AL S skills in association with existing teaching programmes. ResusSim 98 runs under Windows 3.1, Windows 95/98 and Windows NT 4.0. (C) 1998 Elsevier Sci ence Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.