Development and Evaluation of a Bariatric Mannequin Simulation System

Physical assessment of obese patients is an essential clinical skill for identifying the numerous health problems of obese patients and monitoring treatment effectiveness. Use of simulation mannequins facilitates teaching and learning of physical assessment. Available bariatric simulation mannequins have poor functional design, unrealistic appearance, and limited assessment functions. We developed a bariatric mannequin simulation system and an associated education curriculum of seven case scenario and debriefing exercises focused on health problems experienced by individuals who are obese. An innovation of our mannequin is inclusion of programmable electronics that can be used with clinical tools that receive the electronic signals; together they provide ability to assess normal and abnormal signs of a wide variety of health problems. Ten nursing faculty and 51 nursing and medical students at a Midwestern university evaluated the features and satisfaction of a prototype bariatric mannequin in separate simulation sessions using Likert-scale questionnaires. Results showed that the majority of faculty (60%) and student participants (70%+) agreed/highly agreed that the bariatric mannequin was innovative, engaging, user-friendly, useful, and likely effective for teaching or learning. Satisfaction ratings of both groups were similar. Feedback from participants was incorporated into a final refined product that improved its realistic appearance.