Self-reported changes in attitude and behavior after attending a simulation-aided airway management course.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the influence of a simulator-aided course for airway management on participants' daily clinical airway management practice.


METHODS
Survey instrument.


METHODS
University hospital.


METHODS
88 participants who attended a simulator-aided course for airway management.


METHODS
Six mo after 4 consecutive courses with identical structure and content, participants were mailed a standardized questionnaire to answer.


RESULTS
Of 88 participants queried, 48 completed the questionnaire. Ninety-two percent had experienced a difficult airway situation in the 6 mo after the course. Fourteen (29%) evaluated predictors for a difficult airway more carefully. Fourteen (29%) established structural changes within their departments. Ten (21%) participants acquired new technical airway devices. The mean estimated impact on the participants' rating for lectures, skill stations, and scenarios on a scale from 1 (very helpful) to 6 (not at all helpful) was 2.8 for lectures, 1.6 for skill stations, and 1.4 for scenarios.


CONCLUSIONS
Attendance at a simulator-aided airway management course has a significant impact on self-reported accuracy and confidence in evaluation of airways, use of alternative airway devices, and changes in the practitioner's clinical practice toward difficult airway situations.
Russo
Sebastian G
SG
Department of Anesthesiology, Emergency and Intensive Care Medicine, Georg-August University, 37075, Göttingen, Germany. srusso@zari.de
Eich
Christoph
C
Barwing
Jürgen
J
Nickel
Eike A
EA
Braun
Ulrich
U
Graf
Bernhard M
BM
Timmermann
Arnd
A
D000769:Anesthesia, Inhalation; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000193:education* / Q000295:instrumentation; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D017214:Laryngeal Masks; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D008348:Manikins; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012647:Self-Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires