Acute Muscle Rigidity Secondary to Tetanus: A Toxicology Simulation Case for Fourth-Year Medical Students
Introduction Tetanus is uncommon in the United States secondary to vaccination. However, vaccination hesitancy is increasing. This case challenges medical students to consider tetanus in the differential and understand its complications. Methods Fourth-year medical students took a pretest on the neu...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Association of American Medical Colleges
2024-03-01
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| Series: | MedEdPORTAL |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mededportal.org/doi/10.15766/mep_2374-8265.11389 |
| _version_ | 1797235620535336960 |
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| author | Elizabeth Mangin Michelle Troendle |
| author_facet | Elizabeth Mangin Michelle Troendle |
| author_sort | Elizabeth Mangin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction Tetanus is uncommon in the United States secondary to vaccination. However, vaccination hesitancy is increasing. This case challenges medical students to consider tetanus in the differential and understand its complications. Methods Fourth-year medical students took a pretest on the neurotransmitter glycine and associated disease states. They received two 10-minute lectures on glycine and acid-base abnormalities. Students then participated in a simulation featuring a 27-year-old man bitten by a dog, resulting in tetanus. Required equipment included a mannequin with monitor, a defibrillator, and personal protective equipment. Critical actions consisted of learners dividing up roles amongst each other, using closed-loop communication, placing the patient on a cardiac monitor, choosing to establish IV access and intubate the patient, starting IV fluids, and administering tetanus immunoglobulin. The case ended after 20 minutes. Outcome measurements encompassed performance on a posttest and critical actions. Results Twenty students participated. Mean pretest and posttest scores were 69.5 and 92.5, respectively (p < .001). All groups completed the items on the critical actions checklist within a 20-minute time frame. Discussion Rising vaccine hesitancy may increase the likelihood of physicians encountering new cases of tetanus and require them to perform lifesaving management of a patient presenting with muscle rigidity. This simulation provides learners with hands-on experience caring for a patient with tetanus and muscle rigidity. It can improve their knowledge of recognition, assessment, and decision-making toward lifesaving management of tetanus by allowing them to practice their skills in a safe environment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T16:50:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a0f9e0733b24439484b756f5cab8ddbd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2374-8265 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T16:50:51Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Association of American Medical Colleges |
| record_format | Article |
| series | MedEdPORTAL |
| spelling | doaj.art-a0f9e0733b24439484b756f5cab8ddbd2024-03-29T05:00:12ZengAssociation of American Medical CollegesMedEdPORTAL2374-82652024-03-012010.15766/mep_2374-8265.11389Acute Muscle Rigidity Secondary to Tetanus: A Toxicology Simulation Case for Fourth-Year Medical StudentsElizabeth Mangin0Michelle Troendle1Third-Year Medical Student, Virginia Commonwealth University School of MedicineAssociate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Attending Physician, Division of Clinical Toxicology, and Course Director, Critical Care Toxicology for Medical Students, Virginia Commonwealth University HealthIntroduction Tetanus is uncommon in the United States secondary to vaccination. However, vaccination hesitancy is increasing. This case challenges medical students to consider tetanus in the differential and understand its complications. Methods Fourth-year medical students took a pretest on the neurotransmitter glycine and associated disease states. They received two 10-minute lectures on glycine and acid-base abnormalities. Students then participated in a simulation featuring a 27-year-old man bitten by a dog, resulting in tetanus. Required equipment included a mannequin with monitor, a defibrillator, and personal protective equipment. Critical actions consisted of learners dividing up roles amongst each other, using closed-loop communication, placing the patient on a cardiac monitor, choosing to establish IV access and intubate the patient, starting IV fluids, and administering tetanus immunoglobulin. The case ended after 20 minutes. Outcome measurements encompassed performance on a posttest and critical actions. Results Twenty students participated. Mean pretest and posttest scores were 69.5 and 92.5, respectively (p < .001). All groups completed the items on the critical actions checklist within a 20-minute time frame. Discussion Rising vaccine hesitancy may increase the likelihood of physicians encountering new cases of tetanus and require them to perform lifesaving management of a patient presenting with muscle rigidity. This simulation provides learners with hands-on experience caring for a patient with tetanus and muscle rigidity. It can improve their knowledge of recognition, assessment, and decision-making toward lifesaving management of tetanus by allowing them to practice their skills in a safe environment.http://www.mededportal.org/doi/10.15766/mep_2374-8265.11389TetanusToxicologyVaccinationCase-Based LearningEmergency MedicineMedical Toxicology |
| spellingShingle | Elizabeth Mangin Michelle Troendle Acute Muscle Rigidity Secondary to Tetanus: A Toxicology Simulation Case for Fourth-Year Medical Students MedEdPORTAL Tetanus Toxicology Vaccination Case-Based Learning Emergency Medicine Medical Toxicology |
| title | Acute Muscle Rigidity Secondary to Tetanus: A Toxicology Simulation Case for Fourth-Year Medical Students |
| title_full | Acute Muscle Rigidity Secondary to Tetanus: A Toxicology Simulation Case for Fourth-Year Medical Students |
| title_fullStr | Acute Muscle Rigidity Secondary to Tetanus: A Toxicology Simulation Case for Fourth-Year Medical Students |
| title_full_unstemmed | Acute Muscle Rigidity Secondary to Tetanus: A Toxicology Simulation Case for Fourth-Year Medical Students |
| title_short | Acute Muscle Rigidity Secondary to Tetanus: A Toxicology Simulation Case for Fourth-Year Medical Students |
| title_sort | acute muscle rigidity secondary to tetanus a toxicology simulation case for fourth year medical students |
| topic | Tetanus Toxicology Vaccination Case-Based Learning Emergency Medicine Medical Toxicology |
| url | http://www.mededportal.org/doi/10.15766/mep_2374-8265.11389 |
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