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Using rapid cycle deliberate practice to improve primary and secondary survey in pediatric trauma
Diana Hou Yan1, Mark B Slidell2, Alisa McQueen3
1Department of Pediatrics, Section of Emergency Medicine, University of Chicago Medicine, 5841 S Maryland Ave, Mailcode 0810, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA. diana.yan@uchospitals.edu.
Insights
Rapid cycle deliberate practice (RCDP) training significantly boosted surgical residents' confidence in performing primary and secondary trauma surveys. This innovative approach is expected to enhance patient care in pediatric trauma settings.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Trauma Surgery
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Background:
- Optimal performance of primary and secondary surveys is crucial for Advance Trauma Life Support (ATLS).
- Current adherence to ATLS guidelines for primary surveys in pediatric trauma centers is suboptimal.
- Surgical residents' confidence in trauma survey performance requires improvement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a rapid cycle deliberate practice (RCDP) curriculum in enhancing surgical residents' confidence in performing primary and secondary trauma surveys.
- To assess the perceived impact of the RCDP curriculum on future patient care.
Main Methods:
- A curriculum was developed to teach surgical interns primary and secondary survey principles using RCDP.
- Post-session surveys using a 5-point Likert scale assessed learner confidence and perceived patient care benefits.
- Sixteen surgical interns participated, with 100% completing the post-curriculum survey.
Main Results:
- 81% of participants agreed the simulation would positively impact future performance in the pediatric trauma bay.
- The RCDP curriculum significantly improved surgical interns' confidence in performing trauma surveys (p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
- The developed curriculum effectively enhances junior surgical residents' confidence in mastering primary and secondary trauma surveys.
- Learners reported high satisfaction and perceived a positive impact on their clinical performance.
Background:
Optimal performance of the primary and secondary survey is the foundation of Advance Trauma Life Support care. Despite its importance, not all primary surveys completed at level 1 pediatric trauma centers are performed according to established guidelines (Gala et al., Pediatr Emerg Care 32:756-762, 2016, Carter et al., Resuscitation 84:66-71, 2013). We hypothesize that rapid cycle deliberate practice (RCDP) will improve surgical residents' confidence in performing the primary and secondary survey.
Methods:
We developed a curriculum to teach surgical interns the principles of performing the primary and secondary survey using RCDP. Surveys distributed after each session assessed the impact of the curriculum on learner confidence and perception that this curriculum would benefit patient care. Questions were scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Sixteen surgical interns participated during intern orientation and 100% of the participants completed the post curriculum survey.
Results:
Thirteen (81%) of participants agreed or strongly agreed that the simulation would impact future performance in the pediatric trauma bay. The curriculum also significantly improved the confidence of our learners to perform trauma surveys (p < 0.001).
Conclusion:
This curriculum improves the confidence of junior surgical residents in learning the primary and secondary survey. Most learners enjoyed the session and felt that the curriculum would positively impact their performance.
