Aged Care Insite Issue 93 | February-March 2016 | Seite 34

workforce

ACI: Why did SCU decide to include
the training in its School of Health and
Human Sciences?
LH: We had a wonderful opportunity by
getting some grant money from Health
Workforce Australia. The initial grant
was [partly to] look at the needs of the
older adults. One of the reasons we
were interested in this is because it is a
simulation-based education model that
enhances role-play. The role-play has been
used for years and years in education, and
it’s nothing new. Even children love [roleplay]. But one of the reasons the mask
became involved was to help distance the
student from the educator, and allow the
educator to go beneath the surface and
still provide some coaching.
It also makes that whole encounter
so much more believable because, for
simulation to be successful, you need to
have a psychological buy in. It needs to
have authenticity, feel real, and then the
learning happens. It falls at a far deeper
level, and it’s remembered better.

Behind the MASK-ED
Role-play allows instructors
to impart practical knowledge
and people skills in a program
that can be applied across
multiple medical professions.
Louise Horstmanshof interviewed
by Dallas Bastian

I

n scenes reminiscent of a blockbuster
movie set or undercover exposé, silicon
masks and body suits that resemble
seniors are being incorporated into
university campuses to prepare students to
care for older patients.
Southern Cross University has been
using a simulation program. It’s known
as MASK-ED and was developed by
professor Kerry Reid-Searl while teaching
undergraduate nursing students at Central
Queensland University. The plan has
involved the development of six unique
characters that interact with students in the
School of Health and Human Sciences. The
university is also sharing the program with
other disciplines.

32 agedcareinsite.com.au

In a series of roadshows across SCU’s
campuses, teaching staff in occupational
therapy, social work and speech pathology
have been introduced to ways MASK-ED
could be incorporated into their classes.
Dr Louise Horstmanshof, the simulated
learning environment project leader at
SCU, said MASK-ED provides students with
an opportunity to develop and practise
tasks – like putting in a drip or washing
genitalia – without endangering patients,
and added students also develop critical
non-technical skills, such as learning to
communicate with older people.
Horstmanshof sat down with Aged
Care Insite to discuss the potential of the
learning mo K