3 T Training Tool: Bead Cup Exploratory™

Bead Cup Exploratory™ is designed to exercise the practice of hand positions and motions incorporated in suture training and practice. Consists of a shallow container about 8 cm (3”) in diameter filled with various objects including several small beads in 4 different colours. It is covered with thin rubber material and has a premade cut of about 5 cm (2”), down the center.

Color Band Boards™ is part of the 3 Ts Training Tools (3 Ts), a training method designed to provide hands-on training and practice for individuals working with animals in research, testing and educational settings. They incorporates simple, inexpensive, and effective tools to teach and encourage practice of non-surgical and surgical procedures, prior to conducting similar training and practice on live animals. The tools used for the 3 Ts surgical curriculum for Aseptic Rodent Surgery Training and Practice is called the “3 Ts Dexterity Tools™”. These exercises are designed to address many of the common repetitive hand motions and skills required to perform surgery. Trainees will learn to translate the skills they have developed on the 3 Ts inanimate training tools into practice on live animals.

More information about Translational Training Tools™ here.

Key Learning Issues:

• Continuing to build fine motor movements and encourage further practice of precision handling of thumb forceps in both hands.
• Eversion of incision edge with tissue forceps.
• Maneuvering structures that obstruct the surgical site and anatomical feature of interest (i.e. colored beads)
• Gentle tissue handling.
• Manipulating the skin edges and other tissue/objects without damaging them.

Description:

1. Using the thumb forceps provide, reach into the opening in the rubber material covering.
2. Explore the contents of the cup by everting the edges of the material.
3. Retrieve one of each of the 4 different colored beads from the cup without:
   
   • Tearing the exercise band.
   • Picking the cup off the table.
   • Removing more than 4 beads or any other objects.
   • Dropping beads on the table or floor. 

Ingredients:

• One shallow cup, about ¾” deep and 3” diameter.
• Various small objects e.g. small rubber bands (Loom Bands), small pieces of
  string, various beads.
• 4 different colors of seed-beads: the beads we use are 2 mm.
• One piece of thin rubber material cut to a size that will fit over top of the shallow
  cup, with about an inch extra. We use either one of the following materials:
  • Qualatex® 36” diameter latex balloons (http://www.qualatex.com)
  • TheraBand™ exercise band material (http://www.thera-band.com)
• One standard rubber band
• When ready to use, equip the trainee with at least two pairs of thumb forceps.

Supplies: No other supplies are required to make this tool 

Instructions:

1. Place the shallow cup on a level surface
2. Place all of the small objects into the cup and include at least one of each color
   of seed bead in the cup
3. Place the rubber material over top of the bead cup and secure it in place with the
   standard rubber band.
4. Cut a straight slit through the rubber so that the items inside can be accessed
   with the surgery tools

For more information and images to help guide the process, please see The Joy of Training Cookbook, Volume 2: (Recipies for crafting your own purpose-specific training tools for surgery practice). 

Dexterity Tools™ and Exercises from Volume 2:

1. Macro Dexterity Tools™:

1. 1. Bead Board™
   2. Neuter Board™
   3. Tissue Board™
   4. Nail Board™
   5. Cutting Ring™