TEE Training for Anaesthesiologists

National University of Singapore

Status: Completed

Conditions: Cardiac

Treatments: Other: Sequence of teaching (Simulation first followed by Lecture); Other: Sequence of teaching (Lecture first followed by Simulation)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04024982

NUS IRB S-17-347

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study aims to find out the best sequence of teaching and learning events (i.e. first lecture and then simulated training or first simulated training and then lecture) in the acquisition of knowledge on Transoesophageal Echocardiography among trainee and specialist anaesthesiologists.

Full description

Basic Transoesophageal Echocardiography (TEE) is an essential skill in the armamentarium of an anaesthesiologist. Currently, majority of the TEE teaching is being done in the form of didactic lectures with only a few teaching centres offering simulation. TEE skill acquisition includes both technical and cognitive skills. Most of the studies done in TEE teaching have concluded that TEE simulation is an essential part of TEE skill training. The study team wanted to find out what is the best sequence of teaching to achieve the maximum skill acquisition in TEE.

In National University Hospital, Singapore, the Cardiac subdivision of anaesthesia specialists are accredited in TEE (American or European exams) and perform independent decision making in cardiac surgical theatres while the surgery is on-goingto facilitate dynamic decision making such as adequacy of valve repair, global LV function and emerging complications if any. The study team realised that TEE skills are also required for decisions beyond the cardiac surgical theaters where on the spot critical decisions making is required eg: in polytrauma and sudden unexplained hypotension or hypoxia in non-cardiac or ICU patients.

There are existing induction modules and prior teaching avenues in the department of anaesthesia such as the Cardiac Anaesthesia Simulation Training (CAST) module targeted at junior trainee's level. With initiative to equip every practicing anaesthesiologist with the vital skill of TEE image acquisition, the department of anaesthesia is launching a teaching program that is an in house training session. The study team aims to understand through this study the ideal sequence of teaching intervention to facilitate optimal learning and retention.

Enrollment: 43 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 21+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• All anaesthesia doctors in Singapore with no prior experience in TEE.

Exclusion criteria

• All anaesthesia doctors in Singapore with prior experience in TEE.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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43 participants in 2 patient groups

Lecture followed by Simulation

Other group

Description:

Subjects will undergo the lecture on TEE first followed by the simulation session.

Treatment:

Other: Sequence of teaching (Lecture first followed by Simulation)

Simulation followed by Lecture

Other group

Description:

Subjects will undergo the TEE simulation first followed by the lecture.

Treatment:

Other: Sequence of teaching (Simulation first followed by Lecture)