The document discusses how new technology can enhance teaching in the operating room. Traditionally, students learned through lengthy observation, but operating rooms now limit observers for privacy and safety. Advanced audio/video technology allows surgeons high-definition views and allows surgeries to be broadcast to classrooms, allowing students to learn procedures remotely without compromising patient privacy or crowding operating rooms. This technology can be used to teach students at various levels, including practicing new surgical techniques between colleagues worldwide without travel.

1. Technology and Teaching in
Today's Operating Room
Katherine Reeves
UNCC NURS 6303
6/24/2012

2. Background
● The operating room requires a group of highly-skilled employees that
have successfully completed many years of detailed education and
training.
● Traditionally, students and new employees have been taught using
months, if not years, of observing procedures as a primary method of
teaching.
● On-the-job training will not always be feasible as procedures get more
complex. Additionally, many operating rooms are now limiting the
number of people that can be in the room during a case due to a myriad
of patient privacy and safety concerns.
● As we move into an era of a heightened sense of responsibility from a
quality perspective, the margin for error will continue get smaller.
● New technology in the operating room can allow for students at any level
to get a close-up view of the anatomy of the patient and the surgeons
processes in a classroom environment.

3. Advanced Audio/Video Technology
●Today's operating room is very highly integrated. From the laparoscope
to the high-definition video cameras, operating room staff are able to
use modern technology to diagnose and treat patients like never before.
● As you can see below, this professor is using a dummy patient to
demonstrate the placing of a catheter to a group of students.
● This same technology that helps the
surgeon by giving him better visibility
allow can allow for a real-time feed
into a classroom of students.
● This technology can be used by
several different groups including
medical students, residents,
registered nurses, surgical techs,
vendors, professional societies
(AORN)
http://www.creativeplanetnetwork.com/the_wire/2008/12/30/stryker-endoscopy-launches-the-world%E2%80%99s-first-high-definition-
wireless-surgical-display/

4. Classroom Application
●After all of the HIPPA concerns are resolved, teachers can use a distance
learning classroom like the one pictured below to teach students by using
a recorded or real-time case that is pertinent to the current curriculum.
● Students no longer have to learn about how to do a procedure by
countless hours of observing and slowly getting more involved in the
surgical process. Learning can happen in a classroom like this or even at
home at your own pace (again, HIPPA concerns aside).
● Another great application of this technology
is the ability for students (even MD's) to be
able to learn a new surgical approach by
watching colleagues in different parts of the
world perform the procedure.
● Learning this new approach will no longer
require lots of travel and expense, but can
instead happen through advanced
technology.
http://conferencing.uwex.edu/photo_detail.cfm?pid=52986

5. Conclusion
● Advancements in Operating Room audio/video equipment allow surgeons
to be able to better view the patient's anatomy in real-time through use
of high-definition (HD) television screens mounted in the Operating
Room.
● This same technology allows the surgery to be "broadcast" into any secure
area that has compatible audio/video equipment.
● This can be used to as a teaching tool to teach a broad variety of
students from medical students and residents to nurses and surgical
techs.
http://sterileeye.com/2007/12/11/headlight-cameras/