Simulated emergency department procedures with minimal monetary investment: cricothyrotomy simulator

Existing patient simulators require the imagination, suspension of disbelief, and often verbal cuing to mitigate their lack of fidelity for some procedures. This limitation can reduce their utility as a mode for evaluation of students' procedural skill and procedural competence. This article outlines the materials and methods for making a simulated sheep trachea holder, which enhances existing simulation modalities and augments the interface between device and learner. This simple addition increases the fidelity of low fidelity procedural trainers.

A sheep trachea holder was created and presented to attending Emergency Medicine physician-educators at Evanston Northwestern Healthcare as an adjunct for procedural training. The materials and methods for making the simulated sheep trachea holder are outlined in this article.

The limiting factor of production is access to the foam and silicone used to make the simulator. The sheep trachea holder has been reproduced twice, features a washable exterior, and is used biweekly as a teaching tool for the cricothyrotomy skill.

The homemade simulated sheep trachea holder is a safer and better-received alternative to our previous educational modality.