Advancing Clinical and Communication Competencies in Neurological Emergencies: A Simulation Lab-based Training Session for Neurology Residents
Laura Boada Robayo1, Ana Luyza Oliveira-Santos1, Soroush Kakawand1, Chao Xu1, Nidhiben Anadani1, Gabriela Purcarin2, Jorge Ortiz-Garcia1
1Neurology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 2Bethany Children's Health Center
Objective:
Evaluate the effectiveness of a simulation-based educational intervention in improving performance and communication skills among neurology residents.
Background:
Neurological emergencies involve urgent clinical decision-making and emotionally intense conversations. Opportunities for structured practice in both clinical and communication domains remain limited in traditional medical education. Simulation-based training provides a controlled environment where trainees can build these essential skills.
Design/Methods:
Twenty neurology residents participated in two simulation sessions between 2022 and 2025. Each session featured high-fidelity scenarios on acute neurological emergencies. Teams included neurology residents, nursing professionals, and social work professionals. We used a Laerdal SimMan® 3G Plus Simulator. Performance of each resident was assessed using two validated tools. The Neurological Emergency Assessment Tool (NEAT) to evaluate clinical and diagnostic skills (total score: 100 points), and the Interprofessional Communication Evaluation Tool for Teaching (ICETT) to assess care planning and communication with the team and family members (standardized patients) (total score of 120 points). Eight communication subdomains were evaluated: pre-meeting huddle, setting the stage, assessing perception, invitation for sharing, knowledge sharing, exploring emotions, empathetic language, and summarizing decisions. Paired t-tests with Bonferroni correction analyzed score differences between the first and second simulations.
Results:
Comparison of the first and second simulation scores revealed significant improvement. NEAT score increased from a mean of 58.4 (±5.55) to 79.7 (±4.19), and ICETT score from 62.3 (±5.21) to 81.3 (±4.16), both with Bonferroni-corrected p-values < 0.01. Among communication subdomains, statistically significant gains were noted in Pre-Meeting Huddle: +2.84 (±0.636), p = 0.0030, Setting the Stage: +3.74 (±0.67), p = 0.0003, Sharing Knowledge: +4.37 (±1.18), p = 0.0163. Other domains, such as Exploring Emotions and Empathic Language, showed positive trends but did not reach statistical significance.
Conclusions:
Structured simulation training enhances clinical and communication competencies. Integrating simulation into health professions curricula promotes the development of critical skills in a controlled learning environment.
Disclaimer: Abstracts were not reviewed by Neurology® and do not reflect the views of Neurology® editors or staff.