Colonoscopy with Attention, Reliability and Excellence-The CARE Project.

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Medical Education
• Quality Improvement

Background:

• Adequate bowel preparation is crucial for colonoscopy success, with international guidelines recommending at least 90% adequacy.
• A local quality review identified a significant issue, with 25.7% of colonoscopies having inadequate preparation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement a simulation-based educational intervention to enhance healthcare workers' (HCWs) knowledge and confidence in colonoscopy preparation.
• To assess the impact of the intervention on the quality of bowel preparation in clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• An interactive educational program involving teaching sessions, simulated patient counseling, and debriefing was delivered to 28 gastroenterology HCWs.
• Participants completed pre- and post-intervention tests for knowledge assessment and self-efficacy questionnaires.
• A post-intervention chart review was conducted to evaluate changes in bowel preparation quality.

Main Results:

• Mean pretest scores improved from 58.6% to 75.7% (p < .05), and self-efficacy scores increased from 71.1% to 92.8% (p < .05).
• Qualitative feedback from participants was highly positive.
• A 12-week post-intervention review showed a significant increase in adequate bowel preparation to 92.8% (p < .05).

Conclusions:

• Simulation-based interventions are effective in improving HCWs' counseling skills and confidence regarding colonoscopy preparation.
• The intervention led to a measurable improvement in the quality of clinical care, evidenced by enhanced bowel preparation quality.