The Effect of High-Fidelity Simulation on Educational Outcomes in an Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support Course
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The use of high-fidelity simulation has been studied in many healthcare education areas. However, the use of this instructional technology in the American Heart Association (AHA) Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) course has not been extensively reported, despite this program being one of the most widely taught standardized medical courses in the United States. METHODS: This study examined high-fidelity versus low-fidelity simulation in the context of an AHA ACLS course to determine subjects' educational outcomes as judged by expert raters reviewing videos of subjects performing a simulated cardiac arrest event immediately after the conclusion of the course. A purposeful sample of 34 subjects was enrolled in one of two ACLS classes. One class used high-fidelity simulation (n = 16), whereas the other used low-fidelity simulation (n = 18). RESULTS: The high-fidelity simulation group had a higher overall mean rank score on expert rater video review (M = 59.55 versus M = 44.34). This difference reached a level of statistical significance (P = 0.010, z = -2.592). On item level analysis of the instrument, 9 of 14 items reached levels of significance (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Expert raters judged students in a high-fidelity simulation-based AHA ACLS course as more competent than students in a low-fidelity course. On item level analysis, items focused on manual tasks or actions in the first 1 to 2 minutes of the cardiac arrest event were more likely to be nonsignificant. As the scenario grew longer and more complex, expert rater scores of the high-fidelity trained team leaders' confidence, knowledge, and treatment decisions were higher than the low-fidelity team leaders' score at a statistically significant level.
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Immediate review process reinforces learning, helps students identify specific areas for improvement, and solidifies correct techniques and protocols.
“This immediate review process reinforces learning, helps students identify specific areas for improvement, and solidifies correct techniques and protocols [102,103].”
From Formative assessment and feedback in medical education: A practical guide: AMEE Guide No. 189 (2026) · cites this paper as [103]
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Formative assessment and feedback in medical education: A practical guide: AMEE Guide No. 189
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- Authors
- Rodgers, D. L., Securro, S., & Pauley, R. D.
- Affiliations
- Marshall University (US)
- ORCID
- Rodgers, David L.
- Venue
- Simulation in Healthcare: The Journal of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare
- Published
- 2009
- Volume
- 4
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 200-206
- ISSN
- 1559-2332 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2062309350
- Cited by
- 110
- References
- 17
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 3.31
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Simulation in Healthcare The Journal of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Simulation-Based Education in Healthcare
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Emergency Medicine › Cardiac Arrest and Resuscitation
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Innovations in Medical Education
- Keywords
- high-fidelity simulation, low-fidelity simulation, advanced cardiac life support, cardiac arrest resuscitation, resuscitation training, simulation-based medical education, treatment decision-making
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Education, Nursing, Educational Measurement, Female, Humans, Male, Manikins, Teaching, United States, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Problem-Based Learning, Advanced Cardiac Life Support
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