Self-reported changes in attitude and behavior after attending a simulation-aided airway management course.

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the influence of a simulator-aided course for airway management on participants' daily clinical airway management practice.

DESIGN

Survey instrument.

SETTING

University hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

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

INTERVENTION

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

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN 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.