Risk Management in Emergency Situations; Does Germ Simulation Improve the Level of Care?

Simulation is a major part of the training process for emergency medical professionals.  The scenery, sounds, smells, situations, and so forth have all been replicated for the benefit of the student.  These simulation factors prepare the student to react according to the trainings they received in a controlled environment, but what about germ simulation?  The premise of our research is to determine if the outcome of treatment changes when germ simulation is added as a factor. 

The majority of emergency medical simulations do not factor germs into the situation and potentially leave the emergency responders exposed which causes liability, complications, side effects, etc.  Generally, the current standards for care and certification include lessons on blood borne pathogens, disease prevention, personal protective equipment and so forth, but there is still a shortcoming between the classroom lessons and a real situation.

Our research helps answer the following questions:  What is the simulation method that can best replicate a real situation?  How much potential disease exposure can an emergency medical responder expect?  Does the level of treatment increase with the introduction of a germ simulation?  What behavior changes occur when germs become a main factor in a simulation?

The goal of our research and presentation is to find out if the amount of risk can be reduced with more comprehensive simulations.  Ultimately, we strive to diminish the risk of disease and illness spreading among responders and at the same time increase the level of care among disaster victims.