Lessons Learned: A Decade of Implementing an Interdisciplinary Airway Training Simulation Module.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Patient Safety
• Simulation-Based Training

Background:

• Nontechnical skills are vital for critical patient care, especially in urgent situations.
• Effective management of complex airway emergencies requires robust crisis resource management (CRM) skills.
• Existing training may not adequately prepare interprofessional teams for these high-stakes scenarios.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop, implement, and evaluate a novel interdisciplinary and interprofessional CRM simulation module.
• The module focuses on the management of complex airway emergencies.
• To enhance the nontechnical skills of residents and allied healthcare professionals.

Main Methods:

• A simulation-based quality improvement project was conducted over ten years (2012-2022).
• The module involved 138 residents and allied healthcare professionals participating in 20 unique scenarios.
• Sessions included simulation scenarios followed by structured debriefing.

Main Results:

• Participants reported significant perceived improvements in nontechnical CRM skills (P < .05).
• Individuals without prior CRM training achieved comparable skill levels to those with training.
• Key success factors included interprofessional involvement, focused debriefing, and scenario complexity.

Conclusions:

• The interprofessional, longitudinal, and evolving CRM simulation module is innovative in otolaryngology training.
• The module effectively develops nontechnical skills through simulation for complex airway management.
• This approach enhances patient safety and outcomes in challenging airway scenarios.