Use of a high-fidelity simulator to develop testing of the technical performance of novice anaesthetists

Abstract

These findings suggest that simulation can be used to observe and quantify technical performance.

The development of a scoring tool for the measurement of performance in managing hypotension and intra-operative cardiac arrest during spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section

“…Previous studies included between five and 28 experts in the Delphi process. 8,9,10 We achieved good internal consistency providing a high degree of confidence in our sample size of 10 experts.To address the issue of content validity we aimed to achieve consensus amongst a group of experts using a Delphi process. The concordance achieved was 0.668.…”

“…This method of assessing construct validity has also previously been successfully employed. 8,9 The face validity of the assessment was assessed in three parts (simulator, scenario and environment) using a numeric rating scale. The interns scored the realism significantly higher in two of the three categories, suggesting that their lower performance was not due to lower perceived realism.…”

“…This technique has been used previously to develop simulation-based assessment tools. 8,9,10 A draft list of tasks deemed necessary to successfully perform spinal anaesthesia for caesarean delivery and manage the complication of hypotension progressing to cardiac arrest was developed by two anaesthetic specialists. The list of tasks was distributed to 10 anaesthetic specialists working at the study site -all involved in intern, medical officer and registrar training for obstetric anaesthesia.…”

“…Previous studies have developed valid and reliable simulator-based assessment tools for the measurement of trainee doctor performance in providing anaesthesia in simulated environments. 8,9 Such tools have not been developed within South Africa. The objectives of this study were to develop a standardised simulator-based scenario and scoring tool for measuring intern performance, and then to assess the validity and reliability of the scoring tool in the simulated context.…”

Learning curves of novice anesthesiology residents performing simulated fibreoptic upper airway endoscopy

“…9,14 Assessing and teaching performance skills can be carried out in the clinical setting, 14 on cadavers, or in the simulation environment. 15,16 There are also reports of teaching fibreoptic endoscopy skills in the simulation environment and its successful transfer to the clinical setting. [17][18][19] Reports in the available literature regarding the minimum number of cases required to complete a training module in gastrointestinal endoscopy, 8,9 pulmonary bronchoscopy, 7 and anesthesiarelated procedures 10,14 are not based on objective criteria.…”