The Development of a Basic Procedural Skills Checklist for a Simulation-based Mastery Learning Curriculum for...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Anesthesiology
• Simulation Training

Background:

• Simulation-based medical education effectively teaches technical skills.
• Simulation-based mastery learning (SBML) involves repeated practice and testing to achieve a minimum passing standard (MPS).
• SBML may enhance regional anesthesia training for novice residents, necessitating a reliable skills assessment checklist.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a skills assessment checklist for ultrasound-guided interscalene nerve blocks.
• To implement this checklist within a simulation-based mastery learning curriculum for novice anesthesia residents.

Main Methods:

• A checklist was adapted from existing literature and refined by expert anesthesiologists using a modified Delphi technique.
• A minimum passing standard (MPS) was established using the Mastery Angoff method.
• The checklist was piloted with novice residents performing simulated ultrasound-guided interscalene blocks, with videos scored by trained raters for reliability.

Main Results:

• Expert consensus yielded a 19-item dichotomous checklist; the MPS was set at 18/19 correct items.
• The average interrater reliability (Kn) among four raters was 0.73.
• The checklist demonstrated validity and reliability in a pilot study with novice residents.

Conclusions:

• A valid and reliable skills assessment checklist for interscalene nerve blocks was successfully developed.
• This checklist supports the implementation of simulation-based mastery learning for regional anesthesia training.
• Further research will enhance the checklist's validity and reliability for broader application.