Developing an e-learning resource for nurse airway assistants in the emergency department

The aims of this project were to determine the required competencies for a nurse in the emergency department assisting with a rapid sequence induction of anaesthesia (RSI), and to produce a relevant e-learning resource. A three-round multidisciplinary Delphi process produced the following competencies: ability to describe the steps and sequence of events of an RSI, familiarity with the equipment used during an RSI, ability to recognise and help manage problems occurring during an RSI, ability to prepare for an RSI, ability to apply cricoid pressure, and understanding the modification of an RSI in special circumstances. An interactive e-learning package was produced and made available online. Twelve emergency department nurses took part in an evaluation of the e-learning package. All either agreed or strongly agreed that they had increased their knowledge and found the learning useful, and 11 out of 12 nurses reported being somewhat or very confident in the role of airway assistant following completion of the learning.