Glass ampoule prop for healthcare simulation

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No one doubts the effectiveness of clinical simulation as a method for teaching both future and existing medical professionals. However, sourcing the right equipment for these simulations can be quite a challenge—especially when it comes to simulated drugs.

Simulated drugs can be expensive and not widely available, while real medications can pose risks and may even be illegal to use in a simulation setting. Additionally, used empty medicine packaging can still present safety concerns. When working with students, you can never be entirely sure of the safety of your equipment. There’s always the possibility that items provided during a simulation could be accidentally or intentionally taken out of the simulation room and used in a real clinical environment.

For more insights on safety during clinical simulations, you can read about it here. There’s also a clinical report detailing a case where a simulated drug was mistakenly administered to real patients, resulting in sepsis, which you can find here.

Taking into account safety, financial factors, availability, and replaceability, I began creating 3D models of medications and medical equipment that can be printed and used as props during simulations.

I’m excited to present the Glass Ampoule Prop for healthcare simulations! This is a cost-effective and efficient way to simulate medications in ampoules for educational purposes.

While it’s important to note that this model isn’t suitable for high-fidelity training in the actual use of medications in ampoules—it's essentially just a prop—it has proven to be excellent for conducting InSitu simulations (clinical simulations in real clinical environments). In these scenarios, the focus isn’t on teaching how to use an ampoule, but rather on the presence of medications in the medical bag.

Perfect for advanced training courses in emergency care!

Tips for Use:

• You can print it with any infill just to use as a prop.
• If you want a more interactive experience, consider printing only the shell, allowing students to practice breaking an ampoule.
• For an even more realistic approach, you can print just the shell with a preprogrammed pause to fill the ampoule with liquid afterward. This method works wonderfully and costs around 10-30 cents per ampoule!

This model has been printed and tested in various scenarios at the Medical Education Technology Centre of Riga Stradiņš University in Latvia. I would love to see this model in action, so if you use it, please share photos and comments!

If you appreciate my work, consider supporting me by buying me a cup of hot chocolate! :)