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Background and ObjectiveCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a dynamically evolving global pandemic As such, it demands that doctors be adaptable in the face of uncertainty and ever-changing practice The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefits of simulation under such arduous circumstances MethodologyA COVID-19 scenario was developed and delivered in the simulation suite at Watford General Hospital The learners were foundation trainee doctors (years 1 and 2) and student nurses The trainee was asked to review a patient who had returned from a cruise with coryzal symptoms Debriefing was achieved using the TRUST acronym (terminate, reflect, understand, summarise and take-home message) The learners completed a pre- and post-simulation questionnaire, rating their performance from 1–5, across domains including human factor and technical skills The template used for this has been validated and is used in all simulation sessions at the hospital Results and discussionAnalysis of the feedback determined that there was an improvement in both confidence and technical skills among the delegates (13 5 and 5 3% respectively ) The opportunity to debrief and reflect in a safe and controlled environment also allowed various observations to be made For instance, it was necessary for the doctor to leave the patient area to don on the personal protective equipment The learners were understandably hesitant to do this owing to the time taken to do this correctly and as it would invariably leave a potentially moribund patient unattended This, after all, appears to contradict the medical ethos of rapid review and timely resuscitation, as exemplified by the golden hour of intervention in trauma and sepsis Nonetheless, the learners were reminded of the importance of ensuring their own safety first, akin to the DRABC approach to the primary survey, where the ‘D’ directs the responder to inspect for danger first prior to eliciting a patient response Conclusion and RecommendationsAn unprecedented global crisis may inevitably result in a shambolic human response At a time of fear and despair, simulation serves as a catalyst to promote consistency in the delivery of care and to allow for the dissemination of new guidelines and practice A pitfall identified in this study, which is especially relevant to a pandemic, is the inability to accommodate for large volumes of learners in one sitting and this is where virtual reality simulation may play a significant role in the future ReferencesLateef F Simulation-based learning: Just like the real thing Journal of Emergencies, Trauma and Shock 2010;3(4):348–352 doi:10 4103/0974-2700 70743World Health Organisation Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic 2020 Available from: https://www who int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019 [Accessed April 2020]
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