The use of cognitive task analysis to improve the learning of percutaneous tracheostomy placement.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the current study was to determine the effectiveness of using cognitive task analysis (CTA) to develop a curriculum to teach the behavioral skills and the cognitive strategies of a percutaneous tracheostomy (PT) placement.


METHODS
Postgraduate 2, 3, and 4 general surgery residents were randomly assigned to either the CTA group (N = 9) or the control group (N = 11). The CTA group was taught percutaneous tracheostomy placement using the CTA curriculum. The control group received the traditional curriculum.


RESULTS
The CTA group performed significantly higher on the PT procedure at 1 month (CTA: 43.5 +/- 3.7, control 35.2 +/- 3.9, P = .001) and at 6 months post-instruction (CTA: 39.4 +/- 4.2, control: 31.8 +/- 5.8, P = .004). In addition, the CTA group demonstrated superior cognitive strategies than the control group (CTA: 25.4 +/- 5.3, control: 19.2 +/- 2.0, P = .004).


CONCLUSIONS
The use of CTA was effective in improving the cognitive processes and technical skills of performing a PT for surgical residents.
Sullivan
Maura E
ME
Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. mesulliv@usc.edu
Brown
Carlos V R
CV
Peyre
Sarah E
SE
Salim
Ali
A
Martin
Matthew
M
Towfigh
Shirin
S
Grunwald
Tiffany
T
D002983:Clinical Competence; D003071:Cognition; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000379:methods*; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000379:methods*; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D018794:Problem-Based Learning / Q000379:methods*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014139:Tracheostomy / Q000193:education*