Intervention for Intraoperative Teaching in Anesthesiology Using Weekly Keyword Program: Development and Usability...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Anesthesiology Training
• Operating Room Learning

Background:

• Operating room (OR) learning for anesthesiology residents is challenging due to patient care demands, production pressures, and environmental noise.
• Traditional OR teaching is often informal, personnel-specific, and lacks consistent direction.
• Previous educational interventions often relied on post-hoc surveys for efficacy assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a structured intraoperative keyword training program for improving OR teaching and discussions between anesthesiology residents and faculty.
• To standardize educational material for consistent review by faculty and trainees.
• To increase the time and efficiency of learning interactions in the stressful OR environment.

Main Methods:

• Developed a weekly intraoperative didactic curriculum using American Board of Anesthesiology keywords.
• Distributed weekly worksheets with 5 keywords and discussion questions via email.
• Instructed residents and faculty to complete worksheets weekly over two years.
• Assessed program efficacy using an electronic survey administered to residents.

Main Results:

• No significant improvement in perceived intraoperative teaching quality was observed.
• A slight, statistically insignificant increase in teaching time was reported.
• Respondents favored the structured curriculum approach, suggesting potential benefits for future interventions.

Conclusions:

• A formalized, keyword-centered didactic curriculum is not a sufficient solution for improving OR teaching in anesthesiology.
• Enhancing intraoperative teaching requires further innovative strategies.
• Structured curricula may serve as a valuable supplement to other educational methods for anesthesia residents.