Mechanical ventilation is the primary life support for critically ill patients. Therefore, it is an essential life-saving technique in intensive care, emergency medicine, and anesthesia. However, if poorly adjusted, it can cause complications and increase mortality.
The program offered by the University of Paris Est Créteil (UPEC) aims to provide both theoretical and practical knowledge in mechanical ventilation. It is called "EIVASION", which is a French acronym for "Innovative Teaching of Mechanical Ventilation through Simulation." Indeed, the two MOOCs in the program combine explanatory videos on theoretical parts, as well as immersive simulation videos made "at the simulator's bedside" using interactive multi-camera shooting to reproduce teaching at the bedside of a real patient. The simulator used is highly sophisticated and can faithfully reproduce all types of patient-ventilator interactions, including the most complex ones. Additionally, serious games are offered throughout the MOOC, during which the learner is placed in the role of a healthcare professional and must make choices to respond to a given clinical situation. All possible choices, good or bad, have been simulated. Thus, the learner can observe the consequences of their choices and learn from their mistakes in order not to reproduce them on a real patient.
The first MOOC in the program, "Mechanical Ventilation: the Fundamentals," is dedicated to the basics of mechanical ventilation. Its goal is to teach the main ventilatory modes and the physiological principles that are essential to master in order to adjust ventilator settings and understand the ventilator waveforms.
The second MOOC in the program, "Mechanical Ventilation: Advanced Level," allows learners to refine their skills in mechanical ventilation. It is focused on the customization of ventilation, especially in complex situations such as acute respiratory distress syndrome or patient-ventilator asynchronies.
At the end of this program, learners will have no secrets left regarding the ventilator waveforms. They will be able to customize artificial ventilation and make appropriate decisions in numerous clinical situations.