Simulation and patient safety: evaluative checklists for central venous catheter insertion

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Patient Safety
• Healthcare Simulation

Background:

• Patient safety concerns drive the need for effective healthcare provider training.
• Medical simulation technologies are increasingly used to assess clinical competency in invasive procedures.
• Accurate assessment of competence requires valid and reliable evaluation tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review published evaluation tools for central venous catheter (CVC) insertion.
• To identify critical components for developing effective procedural checklists.
• To inform the development of improved competency-based training and performance evaluation.

Main Methods:

• Review of nine evaluative tools (global rating scales and procedural checklists) published in the research literature over the past year.
• Analysis of the advantages and critical components of published evaluation tools for CVC insertion.

Main Results:

• Nine new evaluative tools for CVC insertion were published recently.
• Key features for an ideal checklist include ease of use, non-expert completion, and a comprehensive stepwise procedural breakdown.
• Published tools offer insights into essential elements for effective assessment.

Conclusions:

• The development of an ideal procedural checklist can enhance competency-based training and performance evaluation.
• A better understanding of checklist utility in assessing invasive procedures can improve training protocols.
• Improved training and evaluation ultimately contribute to enhanced patient safety.