Using Simulation to Address a Training Gap in Battlefield Ocular Trauma: A Lateral Canthotomy and Cantholysis (LCC) Prototype Training System.

Over the past 15 years of conflict, eye injuries have ocurred at a steady rate of 5-10% of combat casualties, attributed to the enemy's use of improvised explosive devices. Many of these injuries result in a compartment syndrome of the orbit, easily decompressed through the use of a simple procedure called a Lateral Canthotomy and Cantholysis (LCC). Current training curricula at the U.S. Army Center for Pre-Hospital Medicine at Fort Sam Houston, Texas incorporates LCC training presented in lectures and taught using cadavers and goats (resources permitting), but lacks a LCC training device for the development of psychomotor skills. Requirements analysis, iterative design and development, and testing were performed for a simulation-based training system that may be used to practice the LCC procedure. Subject matter experts have conducted numerous reviews of the prototype system, where feedback is used to drive subsequent designs. Further work, including formal analysis of training effectiveness, will be performed to validate the training system. This will benefit will benefit military and civilian training programs by training psychomotor skills to enhance competency in the LCC procedure for preserving eyesight.

Teaching tactical combat casualty care using the TC3 sim game-based simulation: a study to measure training effectiveness.

The effectiveness of games as instructional tools has been debated over the past several decades. This is due to the lack of empirical data to support such claims. The US ARMY developed a game-based simulation to support Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) Training. The TC3 Game based Simulation is a first person game that allows a Soldier to play the role of a combat medic during an infantry squad mission in an urban environment. This research documents results from a training effectiveness evaluation conducted at the Department of Combat Medic Training (Ft Sam Houston) in an effort to explore the capability of the game based simulation as a potential tool to support the TCCC program of instruction. Reaction to training, as well as, acquisition of knowledge and transfer of skills were explored using Kirkpatrick's Model of Training Effectiveness Evaluation. Results from the evaluation are discussed.