Troubleshooting the Trach: Emergent Tracheostomy & Laryngectomies Modified Team-Based Learning Activity.

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Medical Education
• Surgical Anatomy

Background:

• Tracheostomies are surgically created airways essential for patients with airway obstruction or requiring long-term ventilation.
• Complications associated with tracheostomies occur in 40-50% of patients, with up to 1% being life-threatening.
• Laryngectomies, though rarer, involve different anatomy and management compared to tracheostomies, necessitating specialized knowledge for emergency physicians.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a modified team-based learning (TBL) session in preparing emergency medicine resident physicians and medical students to manage tracheostomy and laryngectomy emergencies.
• To enhance learners' understanding of the anatomy, common presentations, and management of tracheostomy and laryngectomy complications in the emergency department.

Main Methods:

• A modified team-based learning (TBL) activity incorporating learner-responsible content, a group readiness assessment test (gRAT) with immediate feedback, and a group application exercise (GAE).
• Post-session surveys using a Likert scale were administered to assess relevance, knowledge gain, clinical practice improvement, engagement, and delivery.

Main Results:

• 26 participants (emergency medicine residents and medical students) completed the survey.
• A weighted average of 4.78 indicated significant improvement in knowledge regarding tracheostomy patient care.
• 88.5% found the TBL material highly relevant to emergency medicine practice, and 88.4% reported high engagement.

Conclusions:

• The modified TBL session effectively improved emergency medicine trainees' knowledge and comfort in managing tracheostomy and laryngectomy complications.
• Learners perceived the session as highly relevant and engaging, highlighting its benefit in preparing them for critical airway emergencies.
• Suggestions for future sessions included incorporating respiratory therapists for enhanced learning and addressing the needs of junior residents with less prior exposure.