Simulation with only 1 learner
I do a monthly sim lab for our critical care APP fellows. We typically do a boot camp at the beginning of the fellowship, where we do a few days of procedure training to front-load this, then each month we do common ICU scenarios with the high-fidelity mannikin. In years past, I've had 3-4 learners, and so we do 3-4 scenarios, with one of them taking the lead (the APP role) in each, while the others act as nurses/RTs/etc to help the primary learner. Then we debrief after each scenario.
This past year, we only had 1 learner, and so the monthly scenario sessions have been awkward. The learner is the only one in the room, with a drop in realism because they just have to pretend people are doing the tasks they order, and no one to help out or serve as a "sounding board" for ideas. Additionally, I find that it is really tiring for the learner to do multiple scenarios where they have the entire cognitive load. So, rather than being able to expose learners to multiple scenarios, even if they are only observers, we realistically can only do 2 or 3 scenarios, but even that is pushing it.
The fellowship year starts in October, and so far, we only have 1 learner next year as well. I'm doing away with the boot camp and integrating procedural skills throughout the year to break up the string of scenario days. Does anyone have any other ideas? It seems like a waste of time to book the sim lab and have myself and a learner come in on a day with nothing else scheduled (these are usually half days from 9-1) just to do 1-2 scenarios. Also, the whole situation is awkward.
I've tried to recruit nurses/RTs/etc. to come and just play the role to lessen the awkwardness, but no one wants to pay people to come in for that time, and obviously, no one wants to come in for free.
Any ideas would be appreciated. I feel like, as it is, our learner is getting sub-par education, in addition to the fact that I sort of dread these days now.