Ventilator Training through International Telesimulation in Sierra Leone

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Critical Care Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic strained critical care resources globally, particularly in low-resource settings.
• Acute hypoxemic respiratory failure management requires specialized critical care expertise.
• Sierra Leone faced challenges in its critical care workforce capacity during the pandemic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a simulation-based tele-education workshop for healthcare providers in Sierra Leone.
• To enhance the management of intensive care unit (ICU) patients with COVID-19 in a low-resource environment.
• To address the urgent need for critical care training during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Main Methods:

• Delivered thirteen 2-day synchronous virtual workshops on COVID-19 management and mechanical ventilation.
• Utilized medical simulation and didactic sessions for hands-on training.
• Assessed knowledge improvement via pre/post-tests, simulation checklists, and participant surveys.

Main Results:

• Seventy-five healthcare providers participated, showing an average knowledge score improvement of 20.8% (p=0.004).
• Participants reported high satisfaction (96%) and confidence in ventilator skills (96%).
• Feedback highlighted a desire for longer training and access to ventilators.

Conclusions:

• Synchronous tele-education-directed medical simulation is a feasible and effective training method.
• Partnerships between U.S. and Sierra Leonean healthcare providers facilitated successful knowledge transfer.
• Recommendations include extending training duration and assessing long-term knowledge application.