Exergen Pioneers Virtual Classroom for TemporalScanner™ Thermometer Medical Training

WATERTOWN, Mass., Nov. 29, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- The Exergen Corporation has introduced The Virtual Classroom, a modern technological approach to training nursing and hospital staff on the clinical science and proper use of temporal artery thermometry. The Virtual Classroom is a computerized educational demonstration with avatars substituted for real people depicting familiar scenarios for clinicians.  

Comprehensive training for new technology can carry a substantial cost for healthcare facilities, particularly with something like thermometry, a key instrument used by millions of caregivers from MDs to RNs to PCAs. Training videos, written educational materials and personal inservicing often fail to capture the attention of those being trained and may require expensive follow-up.  There is also a substantial cost for hospitals to maintain competency levels on all equipment used in patient care.

"Everyone is captivated by the avatars we use in our Virtual Classroom, which means they pay better attention to the training," said Dr. Frank Pompei, CEO, Exergen Corporation.  "People tend to get bored with traditional training methods and retain less information, which means they need frequent and expensive follow-up."

In a trial of the technology, 1,000 nurses and PCAs were trained for temporal artery thermometry (TAT) by viewing the Virtual Classroom on a large projection screen.  One-hundred percent of the attendees passed the subsequent written competency exam, and 99.9 percent passed the product usage demonstration on the first try.  In contrast, the initial pass rates on personal inservicing could run as low as 50 percent.

The Exergen Virtual Classroom can also be easily updated to include new training, products and methods.  A flash version is available at www.exergen.com/virtualclassroom and high resolution CDs can be requested by emailing [email protected].

Exergen Corporation is recognized worldwide as an innovator and leading manufacturer of non-invasive thermometry systems for industry and medicine for both professionals and consumers. The TemporalScanner™ has produced an estimated $100 million in direct cost savings and 10,000 tons of waste reduction in the last few years for healthcare institutions.  Further, a recent independent study reported that TAT also saves 87 percent of nursing time used for taking temperature. With more than 30 published studies attesting to its accuracy across all ages and clinical settings, it has become the standard for thermometry in thousands of healthcare facilities. For additional information, visit www.exergen.com.

SOURCE Exergen Corporation