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Performance Optimization

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Comprehensive Healthcare Simulation: Surgery and Surgical Subspecialties

Part of the book series: Comprehensive Healthcare Simulation ((CHS))

Abstract

Expert surgical performance is characterized by high-level motor performance, the ability to concentrate for long periods of time, discriminating awareness of clinical situations, and several cognitive factors (e.g., mental preparedness, self-confidence, etc.). These abilities, developed through extensive experience, deliberate practice, and study, enable expert surgeons to manage challenging clinical situations effectively.

In addition to the well-researched benefit to technical skills proficiency, surgical simulation training may offer inexperienced surgeons, who are susceptible to experience performance degradations during difficult clinical situations, an opportunity to develop cognitive (e.g., mental imagery, relaxation strategies, attention management, etc.) and team-based skills (e.g., effective communication, leadership, etc.). These skills are often overlooked in traditional surgical training but are critical elements of expert surgical performance. Thus, simulation training may be an effective method to help trainees and non-expert surgeons reduce the learning curve to attain these trainable elements of surgical expertise and optimize their surgical performance.

The research on cognitive and team-based skills training in high-pressure domains like the military, aviation, and elite athletics indicates that this training can effectively enhance learners’ performance. While the research on nontechnical skills training in surgical education is still burgeoning, the results provide support that this type of training can enhance trainees’ and practicing surgeons’ performance. Accordingly, implementing cognitive and team-based skills during trainees’ simulation training should be a priority in the future of surgical education.

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Abbreviations

ACEP:

Army Center for Enhanced Performance

AHRQ:

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

CEP:

Center for Enhanced Performance

CSF2:

Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness program

LC:

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy

MI:

Mental imagery

MSC:

Mental skills curriculum

OSATS:

Objective structured assessment of technical skills

SMART:

Stress-management and resilience training

STAI:

State-Trait Anxiety Inventory

TeamSTEPPS:

Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety

USMA:

US Military Academy

VR:

Virtual reality

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA

    Nicholas E. Anton

  2. Get a Strong Mind, Encinitas, CA, USA

    Eric Bean

  3. HigherEchelon, Inc, San Diego, CA, USA

    Eric Bean

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  1. Nicholas E. Anton
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Vice Chair of Education, Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA

    Dimitrios Stefanidis

  2. Vice Chair of Education, Department of Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

    James R. Korndorffer Jr.

  3. Executive Director WISH and CREST, Department of Urology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Robert Sweet

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Anton, N.E., Bean, E. (2019). Performance Optimization. In: Stefanidis, D., Korndorffer Jr., J., Sweet, R. (eds) Comprehensive Healthcare Simulation: Surgery and Surgical Subspecialties. Comprehensive Healthcare Simulation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98276-2_10

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