Usability evaluation of high-fidelity simulation manikin for cardiopulmonary resuscitation training for medical students

With the increasing incidence of cardiac arrests in non-critical areas, it is crucial to provide comprehensive training to healthcare professionals. Simulation-based training using manikins offers a morally sound alternative to traditional methods and allows students to apply clinical skills in realistic scenarios. Usability evaluation, including assessment of efficiency, effectiveness, and user satisfaction, is essential for ensuring the effectiveness of the training. This research focuses on evaluating the usability of the simulation manikin for teaching cardiopulmonary resuscitation to medical students. Twenty-one volunteers participated in the experiments: 18 students and three teaching doctors (one instructor professor and two evaluator professors). The instructor professor was instructed to follow the same procedure used in the classroom setting. The evaluating professors were provided with appropriately labeled data collection instruments to evaluate the usability of manikins. The student performed the tasks as instructed, and after completion, they were directed to the debriefing room, where they filled out the feedback form. The experimental data and the statistical analyses showed that regarding effectiveness, the study findings indicated that participants encountered difficulties in certain tasks, as evidenced by the need for significant intervention from the instructor professor. In relation to efficiency, the results demonstrated a clear correlation between the successful execution of tasks and the duration of instruction provided by the instructor, thereby indicating the presence of a usability problem associated with the simulation manikin. And users are not entirely satisfied with the manikin, considering the room for improvement indicated by the SUS score. The experiment and the results reported in this paper contribute to addressing the existing gap in the literature concerning the usability of high-fidelity simulation manikins. Our results allow us to infer that although the simulation manikin exhibits satisfactory outcomes, there are noteworthy areas for improvement identified, thus highlighting potential areas for enhancement that should be taken into consideration.