Simulation (Simulation)

Why your TeamSTEPPS program may not be working

by Timothy Clapper

Clapper, T. C., & Ng, G. M. (2012, in press). Why your TeamSTEPPS program may not be working. Clinical Simulation in Nursing. doi:10.1016/j.ecns.2012.03.007

Co-authored with Grace Ng

Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety ® (TeamSTEPPS) is a patient safety tool developed... more Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety ® (TeamSTEPPS) is a patient safety tool developed by the defense industry and based on four competencies: leadership, communication, situational monitoring, and mutual support. Unfortunately, there are barriers that prevent TeamSTEPPS from reaching its full potential, including: (a) lack of administrative support and resources, (b) lack of training focus to address hierarchal differences and incivility at all levels of health care practice and administration, (c) inadequate TeamSTEPPS instruction and simulation practices, and (d) educators’ resistance to change from crew resource management concepts. Suggestions for improvement include providing command and health care agency emphasis for the TeamSTEPPS program, providing adequate material and personnel resources, designing training that is geared to trainer implementation at the departmental level, prioritizing and saturating training, and striving toward a just culture.

Simulating others: the basis of human cognition?

by Stephen J. Cowley

This appeared as:
Cowley, S.J. (2004). Simulating others: the basis of human cognition? Language Sciences, 26/3: 273-299.

The paper critiques the argument of Michael Tomasello’s Cultural Origins of Human Cognition (1999). This culture-first... more The paper critiques the argument of Michael Tomasello’s Cultural Origins of Human Cognition (1999). This culture-first theory is judged to be a good sketch of how nature predisposes humans for talk. Above all, this is because if language mediated perspective-taking depends on cultural process, no innate linguistic representations are necessary in learning to talk. Unfortunately, the model is flawed by Tomasello’s claims for a putative species-specific competency. Rather than posit a simulation mechanism to link orthodox views of language with Gricean models of communication, I follow Dennett in treating ‘intentions’ as folk constructs. Talking, on this view, arises from encultured contextualizing. Situated, embodied activity turns infants into perspective-takers who, far from learning or acquiring ‘forms’, slowly become persons. Gradually, the infant’s developing social capacities produce activity that invites others to attribute linguistic knowledge to the child.

The influence of simulation-based physiology labs taught by anesthesiologists on the attitudes of first-year medical students towards anesthesiology

by Ethan Bryson

DeMaria S Jr, Bryson EO, Bodian C, Khelemsky Y, Sim AJ, Schwartz AD, Katz D, Levine AI.

Middle East Journal of Anesthesiology, October 2011

BACKGROUND:

The development of medical students' perceptions of different medical specialties is based... more BACKGROUND:

The development of medical students' perceptions of different medical specialties is based on many factors and influences their career choices and appreciation of other practitioners' knowledge and skills. The goal of this study was to determine if participation in a series of anesthesiologist-run, simulation-based physiology labs changed first year medical students' perceptions of anesthesiologists.

METHODS:

One hundred first-year medical students were surveyed at random three months before completion of a simulation-based physiology lab run by anesthesiologists. All participants received the same survey instrument, which employed a 5-point Rating Scale to rate the appropriateness of several descriptive terms as they apply to a particular specialist or specialty. A post-simulation survey was performed to track changes in attitudes.

RESULTS:

Response rates to the survey before and after the simulation labs were 75% and 97% (ofthe initial cohort responding), respectively. All students who filled out the post-simulation surveys had been exposed to anesthesiologists in the prior three months whereas none had interacted with surgeons in the interim. Nearly all had interacted with internal medicine specialists in that time period. No changes in the medical students' perceptions of surgeons or internal medicine specialists were evident. Statistically significant changes were found for most descriptors of anesthesiologists, with a trend towards a more favorable perception after the simulation program.

CONCLUSIONS:

Using a survey instrument containing descriptors of different medical specialists and specialties, we found an improved attitude towards anesthesiology after medical students participated in an anesthesiologist-run simulation-based physiology lab series. Given the importance of providing high quality medical education and attracting quality applicants to the field, integrati-on of anesthesiology staff into medical student courses at the non-clinical level appears useful

A perspective of batching methods in a simulation environment of multiple replications in parallel

by Edjair Mota

Discrete event simulation is frequently time-consuming either
because modern dynamic systems, such as... more Discrete event simulation is frequently time-consuming either
because modern dynamic systems, such as telecommunication
networks, are becoming increasingly complex and/or a great number of observations is required to yield reasonably accurate results. An interesting approach to reduce the time duration of simulation is that of concurrently running multiple replications in parallel (MRIP) on a number of processors connected via networking and averaging the results adequately. We present the results of our research on the suitability of batch-means-based procedures in such distributed stochastic simulation.

Methods of Batch Means in Simulation Output Analysis under Multiple Replications in Parallel

by Edjair Mota

We are interested in the development of a methodology for automated stochastic simulation. In this paper we present... more We are interested in the development of a methodology for automated stochastic simulation. In this paper we present our research activities on studying properties of distributed estimators that can be used in Akaroa-2, a user friendly package for running distributed quantitative stochastic simulation, that implements a very interesting way of exploiting parallel computing power called Multiple Replications in Parallel). Many methodological statistical issues are still open. The estimation problem in simulation is nontrivial because the output process is usually highly correlated. Thus, to apply the classical statistical analysis for constructing a confidence interval for the mean one needs to transform the output sequence in such a way that the new process is approximately uncorrelated. Due to its popularity and simplicity of conception, we found interesting investigating sequential confidence interval procedures based on the Batch Means method. Each procedure is described and experimental results of their performance are presented as well.

A comparison of Obstetric maneuvers for the acute management of shoulder dystocia. Letter to the Editor.

by Timothy Clapper

Clapper, T. C., Gross, S. J., & Wilcox, W. C. (2012). A comparison of Obstetric maneuvers for the acute management of shoulder dystocia. Letter to the Editor. Obstetrics & Genecology, 119(2), Part 1, 386. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0b013e318244b405

Letter to the Editor, Re: Hoffman MK, Bailit JL, Branch DW,
Burkman RT, Van Veldhusien P, Lu L,et al. A... more Letter to the Editor, Re: Hoffman MK, Bailit JL, Branch DW,
Burkman RT, Van Veldhusien P, Lu L,et al. A comparison of obstetric maneuvers for the acute management of shoulder
dystocia. Obstet Gynecol 2011;117:1272–8.

Our charge should be the prevention of such injuries by providing appropriate training, including realistic simulation training that promotes teamwork and adheres to protocols, which still call for choice as well as a combination of correctly applied maneuvers.

Keeping up appearances: Traditional skepticism and the simulation argument

by Toby Wardman

MA dissertation

Traditional global skepticism takes a menacing new turn in Nick Bostrom’s simulation argument. If the argument is... more Traditional global skepticism takes a menacing new turn in Nick Bostrom’s simulation argument. If the argument is correct and its empirical premises are true, then we have good reason to believe that we are living in a simulation. And because it relies on empirical premises, it is (I argue) very different in character from ordinary skeptical arguments — a fact which means some of the most popular anti-skeptical strategies fail to engage with it. However, the simulation argument’s reliance on empirical premises is its undoing: by claiming that we live in a simulation, it undermines the very evidence on which it relies to make that claim plausible. Taking this difficulty into account, it appears that the simulation argument is actually closer to traditional global skepticism than Bostrom intended.

Wargaming and Computer Games: Fun with the Future

by Patrick Crogan

Swalwell, M. and Wilson, J., eds. The Pleasures of Computer Gaming: Essays on Cultural History, Theory and Aesthetics. McFarland and Company, North Carolina, pp. 147-166. ISBN 978-0786435951

This paper looks at the history of Kriegspiel and evaluates contemporary video gaming as an inheritor of the... more This paper looks at the history of Kriegspiel and evaluates contemporary video gaming as an inheritor of the ambivalent project of rationalising and modelling war. It speculates on the nature of fun in the commercial, entertaining modes of modelling the dangerous future

Avatar and Olly: Discovering the impact of ICTs on youth social engagement

by Stefan Schutt

Linking Conceptual and Simulation Models of the Cooum River: Collaborative Development of a GIS-Based DSS for Environmental Management

by Martin Bunch

Bunch, M. J., & Dudycha, D. J. (2004). Linking Conceptual and Simulation Models of the Cooum River: collaborative development if a GIS-based DSS for Environmental Management. Computer, Environment and Urban Systems, 28(3), 247-264.

The Cooum River is an extremely polluted stream that flows through Chennai, India. Past attempts to rehabilitate the... more The Cooum River is an extremely polluted stream that flows through Chennai, India. Past attempts to rehabilitate the river have focussed on physical interventions such as dredging. However, the problem continues to worsen. This research has borrowed techniques from adaptive management and soft systems methodology to apply an ecosystem approach to the problem. This involved participatory development of conceptual models of relevant systems that informed construction of a GIS-based DSS and environmental model. This paper addresses the link between conceptual models and the DSS. The process of problem identification, system conceptualization, development of the GIS database and DSS, and its use for exploratory scenario analysis was found to stimulate learning about the situation and promoted novel solutions to the problem.

Keywords: Conceptual model; GIS; Decision support system; Soft systems methodology; Adaptive management; Urban environmental management; Environmental model

Dream analysis and classification: the reality simulation perspective (2011)

by Tore Nielsen

Simulation and its Discontents by Sherry Turkle et al. [book review]

by Julian Jason Haladyn

International Journal of Baudrillard Studies 8.2 (2011)

As the cover of Simulation and its Discontents makes readily apparent, this is a hybrid book. The volume is presented... more As the cover of Simulation and its Discontents makes readily apparent, this is a hybrid book. The volume is presented neither as a collection of essays – unlike the three previous books by Sherry Turkle in the MIT “Initiative on Technology and Self” series – nor is it a single authored volume with supplementary essays added to support the main text. Instead, the first half of the book is a major text by Turkle, much more than an introduction, with the remainder consisting of four ‘additional essays’ by William J. Clancey, Stefan Helmreich, Yanni A. Loukissas and Natasha Myers.

Simulation: Concepts and Applications

by Pedro Sá Silva

Simulation, Games and Challenges: From Schools to Enterprises

by Pedro Sá Silva

HIPERSIM: A Sense Range Distinctive Simulation Environment for HiperLAN Networks

by Thomas Lagkas

This paper presents the simulator “HIPERSIM” which was developed and used to examine the behavior of HIPERLAN.... more This paper presents the simulator “HIPERSIM” which was developed and used to examine the behavior of HIPERLAN. HIPERSIM simulates the HIPERLAN network under various conditions, assuming that the communication range and the sense range (signal detection range) of a node are different. In a wireless LAN, like HIPERLAN, the medium access protocol, the hidden nodes, the packet forwarding and the power saving mechanism are important issues that affect significantly the overall performance. The intention is to provide a HIPERLAN specialized tool (HIPERSIM) which can simulate most of the features of this WLAN protocol, in order to examine the performance of HIPERLAN. The main focus is to simulate the channel access mechanism accurately, so as to examine the effectiveness of the EY-NPMA protocol, and underline its advantages and the elements that need improvement. Also, in HIPERSIM, there is emphasis on the “hidden nodes” issue. More specifically, we distinguish between the communication range and the signal detection range of a node, since this is a characteristic of the wireless nature and it affects the network operation. The simulation results show that EY-NPMA is effective and suitable for WLANs. Probably there could be some improvement in order to avert the collisions close to the receiver.

Simulation analysis of lot streaming in job shops with transportation queue disciplines

by Arslan Ornek

Putting teachers in the loop: tools for creating and customising simulations

by Colin Milligan

Assessing higher order skills using simulations

by Colin Milligan

Online assessment of practical experiments

by Colin Milligan

Indifference-Zone Ranking and Selection for More Than 15,000 Alternatives

by Peter Frazier

submitted

We consider the indifference-zone (IZ) formulation of the ranking and selection problem with independent normal... more We consider the indifference-zone (IZ) formulation of the ranking and selection problem with independent normal samples and known sampling variance. In this problem, we must use stochastic simulation to select the best among several noisy simulated systems, with a statistical guarantee on solution quality. Existing IZ procedures sample excessively in problems with many alternatives, in part because loose bounds on probability of correct selection lead them to deliver solution quality much higher than requested. Consequently, existing IZ procedures are seldom considered practical for problems with more than a few hundred alternatives. To overcome this, we present a new sequential elimination IZ procedure, called BIZ (Bayes-inspired Indifference Zone), whose lower bound on probability of correct selection is tight in continuous-time, and nearly tight in discrete-time. To the author's knowledge, this is the first sequential elimination procedure with tight bounds on probability of correct selection for more than two alternatives. In numerical experiments, total sampling effort under BIZ grows at most linearly in the number of alternatives, and the sampling effort used by BIZ on the largest problems tested (more than 15,000 alternatives) is 10 to 15 times smaller than that of another leading IZ procedure, the KN procedure of Kim and Nelson 2001.