Development of a Bariatric Mannequin System to Enable Realistic Examination Simulations of Obese Patients

Innovative Design Labs, Inc., Minneapolis MN

Investigators

Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract The proposed project focuses on creating a bariatric mannequin simulator to educate healthcare students on proper techniques specific and specialized to bariatric patient care. Significance: Obesity is one of the world?s most significant and growing health problems. More than 2 in 3 adults are overweight or have obesity and obese patients have a greater likelihood of requiring clinical intervention than those who are not overweight. As such, healthcare professionals must be prepared to care for bariatric patients. Unfortunately, only a few bariatric mannequins are available in the market today and those that do exist are used primarily for patient transfer training. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that creation of a realistic bariatric mannequin system will support enhanced learning interactions and increase knowledge transfer for clinical education in addressing the care of obese and overweight patients. Specific Aims: To prove feasibility of the proposed system in Phase I, IDL and its collaborators will: (1) consult with an expert advisory panel at multiple developmental milestones (2) prototype the bariatric mannequin materials and mechanical design and (3) develop simulation electronics and functionality.