Simulation Centre

Canadian Simulation Centre for Human Performance and Crisis Management Training

Executive Commitee | Peer Reviewed Publications

Ever wish you could learn to perform a procedure or manage a critical event in a safe and controlled environment without the possibility of risk or harm to a patient?  Now you can.

The Canadian Simulation Centre for Human Performance and Crisis Management Training at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre uses advanced medical simulation technology to train various health care professionals. The Centre houses 2 full-body adult mannequins developed by CAE electronics Inc., and Laerdal. For realism, the mannequin was developed with several life-like features which include:

• Reactive pupils
• Palpable carotid, radial and pedal pulses
• Heart and breath sounds
• Mechanical lungs which ventilate spontaneously or by mechanical ventilation
• Anatomical airway for intubation with difficult airway capabilities
• Responses physiologically and in real-time to over 90 different

Various hospital equipment is available for use with the mannequin including physiological monitoring, IV pumps, cardiac arrest cart with defibrillator, intubation equipment and difficult airway equipment, anesthetic gas machine and drug cart, mechanical ventilator and more. The simulator room is equipped with cameras to videotape learning sessions for review/debriefing afterwards in our adjoining conference room. The Simulation Centre is the ideal place to learn crisis resource management, management of critical incidents such as cardiac arrest, pharmacology, routine/difficult airway management, orientation to the operating room, patient assessment, arrhythmia recognition and much more.

We would be happy to work with you to develop a program to meet your education needs.

Executive committee

Dr. Jordan Tarshis - Director of Anesthesia Simulation
Dr. Pamela Morgan - Director of Simulation Research 
Dr. Doreen Cleave-Hogg - Professional Educator 
Susan DeSousa/Agnes Ryzynski - Simulation Centre Coordinator

Selected Canadian Simulation Centre Publications 

PEER REVIEWED JOURNAL ARTICLES

0. Kurrek MM. Fish KJ. Anaesthesia crisis resource management training: an intimidating concept, a rewarding experience. Canadian Journal of Anaesthesia. 43:430-4, 1996
0. Devitt JH. Rapanos T. Kurrek M. Cohen MM. Shaw M. The anesthetic record: accuracy and completeness. Can J Anaesth. 46:122-8, 1999
0. Kurrek MM. Devitt JH. The cost for construction and operation of a simulation centre. Can J Anaesth. 44:1191-5, 1997
0. Kurrek M. Devitt JH. Simulated anaesthetic emergencies. (correspondece). British Journal of Anaesthesia. 79:689, 1997
0. Devitt JH. Kurrek MM. Cohen MM. Fish K. Fish P. Murphy PM. Szalai JP. Testing the raters: inter-rater reliability of standardized anaesthesia simulator performance. Can J Anaesth. 44:924-8, 1997
0. Devitt JH. Kurrek MM. Cohen MM. Fish K. Fish P. Noel AG. Szalai JP. Testing internal consistency and construct validity during evaluation of performance in a patient simulator. Anesthesia & Analgesia. 86:1160-4, 1998
0. Kurrek MM. Devitt H. Anaesthetic simulation. Can J Anaesth. 45:281, 1998
0. Kurrek MM. Devitt JH. Cohen M. Cardiac arrest in the OR: how are our ACLS skills?. Can J Anaesth. 45:130-2, 1998
0. Morgan PJ, Cleave-Hogg D. Evaluation of medical students’ performances using the anesthesia simulator. Academic Medicine 74: 202, 1999
0. Armstrong-Brown A. Devitt JH. Kurrek M. Cohen M. Inadequate preanesthesia equipment checks in a simulator. Can J Anaesth. 47:974-9, 2000
0. Morgan PJ, Cleave-Hogg D. Performance evaluation using the anesthesia simulator. Medical Education  34: 42-45, 2000
0. Morgan PJ, Cleave-Hogg D. A Canadian Simulation Experience: Faculty and Student Opinions of a Performance Evaluation Study. Br J Anaesth  85: 779-81, 2000
0. Devitt JH. Kurrek MM. Cohen MM. Cleave-Hogg D. The validity of performance assessments using simulation. Anesthesiology. 95(1):36-42, 2001
0. Morgan PJ, Cleave-Hogg D, Guest CB, Herold J. Validity and reliability of Undergraduate Performance Assessments in an Anesthesia Simulator. Can J Anesth  48(3): 225-33, 2001
0. Morgan PJ, Cleave-Hogg D. Cost and Resource Implications of Simulator-Based Education in a Canadian Undergraduate Curriculum. (Correspondence) Can J Anesth  48(9): 826-827, 2001
0. Morgan PJ, Cleave-Hogg D, Guest CB. A comparison of global ratings and checklist scores in undergraduate anesthesia simulator assessments. Academic Medicine  76(10): 1053-55, 2001
0. Morgan PJ, Cleave-Hogg D, McIlroy J, Devitt JH. Simulation Technology: A comparison of Experiential and Visual Learning for Undergraduate Medical Students. Anesthesiology  96(1): 10-16, 2002
0. Cleave-Hogg D, Morgan PJ. Experiential learning in an anesthesia simulation centre: analysis of students’ comments. Medical Teacher  24(1): 23-6, 2002
0. Morgan PJ, Cleave-Hogg D. Comparison between medical students’ experience, confidence and competence. Medical Education  36: 534-9, 2002
0. Morgan PJ, Cleave-Hogg D. A worldwide survey of the use of simulation in anesthesia. Can J Anesth  49(7): 659-62, 2002
0. Morgan PJ, Cleave-Hogg D, DeSousa S, Tarshis J. Identification of gaps in the achievement of undergraduate educational objectives using high-fidelity patient simulation. Anesth Analg   97: 1690-4., 2003
0. Morgan PJ, Cleave-Hogg D, DeSousa S, Tarshis J. High-fidelity patient simulation: validation of performance checklists. Br J Anaesth  92(3): 388-92, 2004
0. Savoldelli GL, Naik VN, Hamstra SJ, Morgan PJ.  Barriers to use of simulation-based education. Can J Anesth 2005; 52(9): 944-50
0. Morgan PJ, Cleave-Hogg D, DeSousa S, Lam-McCulloch J. Applying theory to practice in a high-fidelity simulation centre. Med Teacher 2006: 28(1); e10-e15

BOOK CHAPTERS

0. Cleave-Hogg D, Morgan PJ, Guest CB. Evaluation of Medical Students’ Performance in Anesthesia using a CAE Med-Link Simulator System. In: Proceedings of the 4th International Computer Assisted Assessment Conference. Cooper H, Clowes S. (Eds). Learning & Teaching Development. Loughborough, England 2000; 119-126
0.  Morgan PJ, DeSousa S. Human Considerations in Health Care Simulation Centers. In: Practical Health Care Simulations. Lake C, Loyd G, Greenberg R. (Eds). Hanley Belfus, Elsevier Science. Louisville 2003: 73-83.
0. Morgan PJ, Cleave-Hogg D. High-fidelity simulation in anesthesia medical education. In: Recent Research Developments in Anesthesia & Analgesia. Pandalai, SG (Ed). Transworld Research Network. Trivandrum, India 2003: 97-107.
0. Morgan PJ. Simulation Technology in Anaesthesia Training-Students, Residents and Faculty. In: Current Opinion in Anaesthesiology. Bruessel T. (Ed). Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins. London 2005: 18(2): 199-203.

ABSTRACTS (Abbreviated, since 2002)

0. Morgan PJ, Cleave-Hogg D, Eveleigh S, Tarshis J. Medical Students’ Approach to Simulated Critical Events. Can J Anesth 2002; 49: A65
0. Morgan PJ, Cleave-Hogg D, Eveleigh S, Tarshis J. Validation of performance checklists used for assessment of medical students in the management of critical events using high-fidelity patient simulation.  Anesthesiology 2002; 97: A1102
0. Morgan PJ, Cleave-Hogg D, DeSousa S, Tarshis J. Applying theory to practice using high-fidelity patient simulation. Poster presentation. Society for Education in Anesthesia Annual Meeting. Montreal, Quebec June 2003
0. Morgan PJ, Cleave-Hogg D, DeSousa S. Residents as teachers: experience using human patient simulation. Poster presentation. Society for Education in Anesthesia Annual Meeting. Montreal, Quebec. June 2003
0. Morgan PJ, Cleave-Hogg D, DeSousa S, Tarshis J. Applying theory to practice using high-fidelity patient simulation. Can J Anesth 2003; 50: A104
0. Morgan PJ, Cleave-Hogg D, DeSousa S. Residents as teachers: experience using human patient simulation. Can J Anesth 2003; A105
0. Tarshis J, DeSousa S, Brown R, Iglesias S, Kohlhammer M. Simulator CME for family practice anesthetists: A nationwide program. Can J Anesth 2003; 50: 110A
0. Morgan PJ, Cleave-Hogg D, DeSousa S. Management of arrhythmias using high-fidelity simulation. Can J Anesth 2004; 51(Supp 1): A14
0. Morgan PJ, Cleave-Hogg D, DeSousa S. Global ratings to assess undergraduate team performances. Can J Anesth 2004; 51(Supp 1):  A15
0. Morgan PJ, Cleave-Hogg D, DeSousa S. Management of arrhythmias using high-fidelity simulation. Anesthesiology 2004: 101(Supp 1): A1347
0. Morgan PJ, Cleave-Hogg D, DeSousa S. Global ratings to assess undergraduate team performances. Anesthesiology 2004: 101(Supp 1): A1244
0. Morgan PJ, Cleave-Hogg D, DeSousa S, Lam-McCulloch J. Simulation: theory to practice in undergraduate medical education. Can J Anesth 2005; 52 (Supp): A88
0. Sulaiman I, Morgan PJ, Cleave-Hogg D, DeSousa S, Haley MF. Need for procedural skills training in undergraduate education. Can J Anesth 2005; 52 (Supp): A91
0. Savoldelli G, Naik V, Hamstra S, Morgan PJ. A survey of perceived barriers to simulation-based education. Can J Anesth 2005; 52 (Supp): A86
0. Tarshis J, DeSousa S, Brown R, Iglesias S, Kohlhammer M. Creation, implementation and evaluation of a FPA simulator CE program. Can J Anesth 2005; 52: A89
0. Morgan PJ, Pittini R, Regehr G, Marrs C, Haley MF. Evaluating teamwork in a simulated obstetrical environment. Anesthesiology 2006; In Press
0. Morgan PJ, Lam-McCulloch J, Tarshis J, Herold-McIlroy J. Simulation performance checklist generation using the Delphi technique. Anesthesiology 2006; In Press
0. Morgan PJ, Cleave-Hogg D, DeSousa S, Haley MF. Student opinions of part task and high-fidelity simulation education. Anesthesiology 2006; In Press