Harvey

February 29
by Alison

We got to spend this morning working on our own with Harvey, the cardiopulmonary patient simulator.  Our supervisor gave us a set of six clinical scenarios and we took turns working through them.  One person acted as the facilitator while the other examined Harvey and proposed a diagnosis based on the information in the case and the physical exam. 

This was the first time I’ve had a chance to spend so much time with a simulator in a small group.  It was a great way to learn.  The scenarios provided some structure, but we were able to maximize our learning by working at our own pace.  When it was my turn to examine Harvey, I spent a lot of time auscultating the heart sounds.  I was able to detect some fairly subtle murmurs, and characterize the various sounds.  From this, I was generally able to determine the pathology.  I liked being able to work through things slowly.  It gave me time to think and allowed me to re-check some findings for confirmation.  It was also helpful to watch my colleague examine Harvey and to note how she approached each case.  The session was very informal, and we would ask each other questions as we went.  We made a list of questions that we were unable to answer so that we can follow-up with our supervisor.  At the end of each case, we reviewed the diagnosis and findings.

After the session we were discussing how helpful it was to work with a simulator.  In a patient encounter, you won’t necessarily be in a quiet, well-lit room in which it is possible to pick up some of the more subtle findings.  There is also generally more time pressure when working with patients.  We were both remarking that it would have been helpful to spend more time with Harvey earlier in medical training so that we could become comfortable with characterizing murmurs.  I realize that Harvey is a valuable and limited resource and I’m grateful we got so much with him today.