The evolution of a national, advanced airway management simulation-based course for anaesthesia trainees

Needs analyses involving patient complaints and anaesthesiologists' confidence levels in difficult airway management procedures in Denmark have shown a need for training in both technical and non-technical skills.

To provide an example of how to design, implement and evaluate a national simulation-based course in advanced airway management for trainees within a compulsory, national specialist training programme.

A national working group, established by the Danish Society for Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, designed a standardised simulation course in advanced airway management for anaesthesiology trainees based on the six-step approach. Learning objectives are grounded in the curriculum and analyses-of-needs (in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes, including non-technical skills, which encompass the cognitive skills and social skills, necessary for safe and effective performance). A total of 28 courses for 800 trainees have been conducted. Evaluation has been positive and pre and posttests have indicated a positive effect on learning.

The course was successfully designed and implemented within the national training programme for trainees. Important factors for success were involvement of all stakeholders, thorough planning, selection of the most important learning objectives, the use of interactive educational methods and training of the facilitators.