Use of Harvey® the cardiopulmonary patient simulator in physician assistant training

Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate physician assistant students’ confidence levels in detection of heart murmurs following instruction with Harvey® the Cardiopulmonary Patient Simulator compared with a classroom heart sounds activity. Methods Cohort 1 (n = 33) participated in the classroom heart sounds activity and then participated in the Harvey simulation exercise. Cohort 2 (n = 34) first participated in the Harvey simulation activity and then in the classroom heart sounds activity. All students completed preintervention and postintervention surveys to assess confidence in detecting heart sounds. A multiple-choice quiz was distributed to each group after participation in the first heart sounds activity. Results Sixty-seven students completed all surveys. Before either activity, 6% of students in Cohort 1 and 3% in Cohort 2 reported confidence in detecting abnormal heart sounds. After completing the first activity, 85% of the classroom heart sounds activity group (Cohort 1) and 53% of the Harvey simulation group (Cohort 2) reported confidence in detecting abnormal heart sounds. The mean score on the multiple-choice quiz was 62% in Cohort 1 and 24% in Cohort 2. Conclusion Both cohorts reported confidence in learning abnormal heart sounds after participation in the Harvey simulation compared with baseline confidence. Students who participated in the classroom heart sounds activity before the Harvey simulation activity performed higher on the murmur identification multiple-choice quiz. The University of Texas Medical Branch PA faculty should consider continued use of both the classroom heart sounds activity and Harvey simulation.