Competency-based assessment tools for regional anaesthesia: a narrative review

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Anaesthesiology
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Competency-based assessment is crucial in regional anesthesia for evaluating participants, trainees, and consultants.
• A variety of assessment tools are currently employed, ranging in scope and application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically appraise existing psychometrically evaluated assessment tools for regional anesthesia.
• To identify the strengths and weaknesses of different assessment methods in regional anesthesia education.

Main Methods:

• A narrative review of the literature was conducted, identifying 397 citations.
• 28 peer-reviewed studies focusing on the primary psychometric evaluation of regional anesthesia assessment tools were included.
• Assessment tools were compared against established medical education consensus statements for validity and reliability.

Main Results:

• Included studies utilized diverse assessment types: multiple-choice questions, hand-motion analysis, cumulative sum, visuospatial/psychomotor screening, checklists, and global rating scales.
• Assessed skill sets ranged from holistic bedside performance to specific tasks like ultrasound-guided needle tip visualization.
• Significant variation exists in the psychometric robustness and applicability of current tools.

Conclusions:

• There is a need for psychometrically validated assessment tools to ensure competency in regional anesthesia.
• The review discusses the relative merits of different tools and suggests directions for future educational research in the field.
• Robust assessment is vital for effective competency-based anesthesia education.