Power Outage: A Simulation Case for Anesthesiology Residents

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Anesthesiology
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Intraoperative power outages are rare but require anesthesia provider preparedness.
• Limited exposure during residency training creates a gap in managing these critical events.
• A high-fidelity simulation was developed to address this training deficit.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of a high-fidelity power outage simulation for anesthesiology residents.
• To improve residents' confidence and preparedness in managing intraoperative power loss.
• To enhance clinical reasoning and decision-making skills during emergencies.

Main Methods:

• A high-fidelity simulation of an intraoperative power outage was conducted for anesthesiology residents (PGY 3/PGY 4).
• Participants managed a simulated patient undergoing routine surgery with general anesthesia.
• Post-simulation debriefing and a Likert scale survey assessed confidence levels.

Main Results:

• Twenty-two residents completed the simulation over two years.
• Significant improvements were observed in confidence ratings for managing power outages (1.2 points), vital sign monitoring (1.4 points), and disposition planning (0.9 points).
• All participants found the simulation highly valuable.

Conclusions:

• The anesthesiology-specific simulation is an effective educational tool for rare emergencies.
• Simulation significantly boosted residents' confidence in responding to power outages.
• This training enhances preparedness and supports patient safety during critical events.