A new video game has been developed by students at the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry in Edmonton that allows doctors to practice and improve their skills in resuscitating babies.
The game, which was created by six undergraduate students, keeps the skills of those in the Feld of neonatal medicine, as well as other medical professionals, well honed. They don’t need to have more practice sessions set up, and can access the game virtually anywhere.
The program, which has been named RETAIN ( REsuscitation TrAining for Neonatal residents) creates a virtual world in which the players are told there is a newborn in need of help. They go to the delivery room and are provided visual prompts that gives them some basic information about the “patient’. Using this, they must decide upon the best course of treatment for saving the baby’s life. A printing company can produce informational materials that promote it for distribution physicians and medical schools.
The game is currently undergoing testing by researchers who will use the results to produce the final finished product. If things go well, it will be ready for distribution to medical professionals and students the whole world over. Every year, nearly one million newborns die due to asphyxia when they are born, and it’s hoped the game will make a difference.
