This study examined the capability of computer simulation as a tool for assessing the strategic competency of emergency department nurses as they responded to authentically computer simulated biohazard-exposed patient case studies. Thirty registered nurses from a large, urban hospital completed a series of computer-simulated case studies of virtual biohazard-exposed patients. The completed case studies were assessed by the host computer according to computer-programmed criteria. The same case studies were also assessed by a trio of emergency medicine physicians acting as subject matter experts according to their own criteria. The results of this study demonstrated a significant correlation between computer-assessed and physician-assessed simulation exercises against pre-determined performance objective criteria. The data suggests computer simulation can play an important role in emergency and disaster response that offers readily accessible cost-effective training where the opportunity for hands-on practice is limited or impractical. In addition, use of computer simulation can make an effective evaluation of emergency response preparedness possible at more frequent intervals and with greater efficiency.
","abstract_html":"<p>This study examined the capability of computer simulation as a tool for assessing the strategic competency of emergency department nurses as they responded to authentically computer simulated biohazard-exposed patient case studies. Thirty registered nurses from a large, urban hospital completed a series of computer-simulated case studies of virtual biohazard-exposed patients. The completed case studies were assessed by the host computer according to computer-programmed criteria. The same case studies were also assessed by a trio of emergency medicine physicians acting as subject matter experts according to their own criteria. The results of this study demonstrated a significant correlation between computer-assessed and physician-assessed simulation exercises against pre-determined performance objective criteria. The data suggests computer simulation can play an important role in emergency and disaster response that offers readily accessible cost-effective training where the opportunity for hands-on practice is limited or impractical. In addition, use of computer simulation can make an effective evaluation of emergency response preparedness possible at more frequent intervals and with greater efficiency.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["O'Reilly, Daniel Joseph"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Ph.D.","degree_level":"Open Access Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Instructional Technology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["James L. Moseley"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2011,"date_issued":"2011-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2011-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:58:49Z","subjects":["Biohazard","Computer Simulation","Emergency Response","Medicine and Health Sciences","Other Education"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_dissertations/290","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["James L. Moseley"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["O'Reilly, Daniel Joseph"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2011-01-01T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Instructional Technology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Ph.D."]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Biohazard","Computer Simulation","Emergency Response","Medicine and Health Sciences","Other Education"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_dissertations/290"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study examined the capability of computer simulation as a tool for assessing the strategic competency of emergency department nurses as they responded to authentically computer simulated biohazard-exposed patient case studies. Thirty registered nurses from a large, urban hospital completed a series of computer-simulated case studies of virtual biohazard-exposed patients. The completed case studies were assessed by the host computer according to computer-programmed criteria. The same case studies were also assessed by a trio of emergency medicine physicians acting as subject matter experts according to their own criteria. The results of this study demonstrated a significant correlation between computer-assessed and physician-assessed simulation exercises against pre-determined performance objective criteria. The data suggests computer simulation can play an important role in emergency and disaster response that offers readily accessible cost-effective training where the opportunity for hands-on practice is limited or impractical. In addition, use of computer simulation can make an effective evaluation of emergency response preparedness possible at more frequent intervals and with greater efficiency.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Computer simulation in mass emergency and disaster response: An evaluation of its effectiveness as a tool for demonstrating strategic competency in emergency department medical responders"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["James L. Moseley"],"dc:creator":["O'Reilly, Daniel Joseph"],"dc:date.available":["2011-01-01T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This study examined the capability of computer simulation as a tool for assessing the strategic competency of emergency department nurses as they responded to authentically computer simulated biohazard-exposed patient case studies. Thirty registered nurses from a large, urban hospital completed a series of computer-simulated case studies of virtual biohazard-exposed patients. The completed case studies were assessed by the host computer according to computer-programmed criteria. The same case studies were also assessed by a trio of emergency medicine physicians acting as subject matter experts according to their own criteria. The results of this study demonstrated a significant correlation between computer-assessed and physician-assessed simulation exercises against pre-determined performance objective criteria. The data suggests computer simulation can play an important role in emergency and disaster response that offers readily accessible cost-effective training where the opportunity for hands-on practice is limited or impractical. In addition, use of computer simulation can make an effective evaluation of emergency response preparedness possible at more frequent intervals and with greater efficiency.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_dissertations/290"],"dc:subject":["Biohazard","Computer Simulation","Emergency Response","Medicine and Health Sciences","Other Education"],"dc:title":["Computer simulation in mass emergency and disaster response: An evaluation of its effectiveness as a tool for demonstrating strategic competency in emergency department medical responders"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Instructional Technology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Ph.D."]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:58:49Z"}