Simulation-based Central Venous Catheter Insertion Training Increases Comfort Amongst Residents

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Skills Training
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Central venous catheter (CVC) insertion is a core competency for medical trainees.
• Simulation-based training (SBT) is effective but resource-intensive, with a lack of standardized curricula.
• Evaluating existing CVC simulation curricula is crucial for institutional adoption and improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of an institutional CVC simulation curriculum on resident confidence and comfort.
• To identify specific areas of improvement in CVC insertion and management skills.
• To provide data for the development of effective CVC training frameworks.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 118 first-year residents participated in SBT between 2017 and 2023.
• Surveys were administered pre-training and 6 months post-training to 57 participants.
• Analysis focused on changes in comfort levels related to various aspects of CVC insertion.

Main Results:

• Overall comfort with CVC insertion increased significantly from 42.1% to 81.3% post-training (P<0.01).
• Comfort improved notably in non-procedural aspects of CVC care.
• Comfort with unsupervised procedure performance saw a modest increase to 29.6%.

Conclusions:

• The CVC simulation curriculum effectively boosts resident comfort, particularly in non-procedural elements.
• A gap persists in residents' readiness for unsupervised CVC insertion, indicating a need for enhanced procedural skills training.
• Implementing this curriculum may reduce CVC insertion-related complications.