SOCIOLOGICAL FIDELITY IN HEALTHCARE SIMULATION

Discussions about the ‘fidelity’ of simulation often focus on the physical realism of mannikins or other training equipment. Another interpretation of the term is ‘functional task alignment’, describing the authenticity of clinical tasks required of scenario participants. But maybe there is even more to fidelity. Maybe simulation activities can be designed to recreate some of the most important influences on healthcare team performance – issues of power, hierarchy, and professional boundaries – and achieve ‘sociological fidelity’? Without attention to these relational issues and cultural norms, we may fail to transfer lessons from simulation-based team training to real world practice.