Improved Technical Skill and Procedure Time With Central Venous Catheter Simulation.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Anesthesiology
• Simulation Technology

Background:

• Ultrasound-guided central venous catheter (CVC) insertion is a critical skill for anesthetists.
• Simulation manikins offer a safe environment for practicing CVC insertion without patient risk.
• Quality improvement initiatives are essential for enhancing procedural skills in healthcare.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of an ultrasound-guided simulated CVC insertion workshop on anesthesia providers' technical skills.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of simulation-based training in reducing CVC insertion procedure time.
• To determine the long-term retention of skills and efficiency gains post-workshop.

Main Methods:

• A pretest-posttest quality improvement design was employed.
• Anesthesia providers participated in an educational session and three simulated CVC placements (pre-workshop, immediate post-workshop, 3-month follow-up).
• Skills were evaluated using a validated checklist by experienced raters, and procedure time was recorded.

Main Results:

• Significant improvement in checklist scores was observed immediately post-workshop (89%) and at 3-month follow-up (85%) compared to pre-workshop (65%).
• Procedure time for CVC insertion significantly decreased from pre-workshop (21.5 minutes) to immediate post-workshop (15.7 minutes) and 3-month follow-up (15.9 minutes).
• The simulation workshop demonstrated a marked advancement in technical skills and reduced procedure time.

Conclusions:

• Ultrasound-guided CVC simulation workshops are effective in enhancing anesthesia providers' technical skills.
• Simulation-based training leads to a significant reduction in procedure time for CVC insertion.
• The benefits of simulation training are sustained at a 3-month follow-up, indicating lasting skill improvement.