3 T Training Tool: Bead Threading™

Bead Threading™ exercises is designed to help build microsurgery skills and the skills of working with smaller pieces of hardware, because many experimental surgeries require surgeons to manipulate metal objects such as screws, wires, nuts and bolts. Various shapes and sizes of beads. A blunt-ended beading needle - found at local craft stores.

Bead Threading™ 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. For more information about Translational Training Tools™.

Key Learning Issues:

• Reinforcing the use of needle holders and thumb forceps.
• Reinforcing the proper grip on the instruments to maximize precision and efficiency of
  the manipulations.
• Using surgical instruments for the manipulation of small pieces of hardware.
• Steadying the hands during finer manipulations.

Description of the exercise:

1. Practice picking up beads with thumb forceps.
2. Hold the long narrow beading needles with a hemostat or needle driver.
3. Using the forceps, place the bead onto the needle.
4. Avoid rushing.
5. Attempt to build speed by performing the exercise by using the precision grip on the
thumb forceps, stabilizing the hands and using smooth steady motions.

Ingredients:

• Small beads of less than 5 mm diameter. Choose beads of various sizes, shapes and textures.
• One blunt beading-needle.
• During the Bead Threading exercise, provide the trainee with a least one pair of hemostats and one pair of thumb forceps.

Supplies: Containers to hold the beads, A small bag into which the beading needles and bead container can be stored together, A non-slip mat to place on the table to help prevent the beads from rolling away during the exercise

Instructions:

1. Open the bead container and place the beads and beading-needle on the nonslip surface
2. The Bead Threading exercise is now ready for the trainee to use

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™

2 . Micro Dexterity Tools™: 

1. 1. Peg Boards™
   2. Bead Threading™
   3. Earrings and Backs™
   4. Color Band Boards™
   5. Bead Cup Exploratory™

Please also see The Joy of Training Cookbook, Volume 1: (Recipies for crafting your own purpose-specific training tools for non-surgical procedures).

3 Ts Training Tools from Volume 1:

• FP Balloon™
  • IM Foosbun™ 
• Venipuncture Tools:
  • Tube Tail™ (venipuncture of the lateral tail vein)
  • Spongy Bunear™ (venipuncture of the rabbit marginal ear vein)
  • Ear Piggy Piggy™ (venipuncture of the marginal ear vein of pigs)
  • Cephalic Tube™ (venipuncture of the canine or feline cephalic vein)
• Cardiac Balloon™ (cardiac-puncture blood collection in rodents)
• CD Mouse™ (validation of competency of cervical dislocation euthanasia in rodents)
• Pink E. D. Cap™ (validation of competency of decapitation euthanasia of neonatal mice)