Impact of Live Tissue Training on Provider Confidence for Operative Trauma Management

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Military Medicine

Background:

• Military healthcare provider readiness is crucial for maintaining a prepared fighting force.
• Skill maintenance in operative trauma management is challenging for providers not based at urban trauma centers.
• Live tissue training offers a viable solution for practicing trauma management skills in facilities lacking high-acuity trauma exposure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of a live tissue skills course in improving the confidence and familiarity of healthcare providers with operative trauma management.
• To evaluate the utility of a porcine model for simulating various injury complexes.
• To compare the benefits of live tissue training with inanimate simulation methods.

Main Methods:

• A live tissue skills course utilizing a porcine model was conducted for surgical residents, attendings, and operating room technicians.
• Participants completed pre- and post-course surveys assessing comfort levels, previous training, and course benefits.
• Simulated operative management involved standardized abdominal and thoracic injuries.

Main Results:

• Comfort levels in managing abdominal trauma increased from an average of 2.79 to 3.73.
• Comfort levels in managing thoracic trauma increased from an average of 2.47 to 3.48.
• 85% found the course very beneficial for knowledge enhancement, 83% preferred it over inanimate simulators, and 92% reported high fidelity.

Conclusions:

• Live tissue training is highly beneficial for improving comfort and familiarity with operative trauma management among military healthcare personnel.
• The porcine model effectively enhances skills for surgical residents, attendings, and technicians.
• Further research is recommended to evaluate surgical skill improvement and compare live tissue training with simulation.