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Impact of Task Trainer-Based Training on Medical Students' Technical Skills, Nontechnical Skills, and Confidence in
Maher Abdessater1,2, Ramy Touma Sawaya1, Sandra Elias3
1Division of Urology, Department of Surgery American University of Beirut Medical Center Beirut Lebanon.
Background And Aims:
Peripheral intravenous (IV) cannulation is a fundamental clinical skill that requires both technical precision and effective patient communication. Despite its frequency in clinical practice, many medical trainees report insufficient confidence and limited opportunities for supervised practice. Simulation-based medical education has emerged as a strategy to bridge this gap; however, its impact on both technical and nontechnical competencies warrants further evaluation. This study was done to assess the effect of a simulation-based training module on medical students' technical skills (TS), nontechnical skills (NTS), and self-reported confidence in peripheral IV cannulation.
Methods:
This single-group pre-post interventional study included 74 3rd- and 4th-year medical students. Participants underwent a structured task trainer-based training session on IV cannulation. Performance was assessed before (T2) and after (T4) the intervention using a modified Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS), evaluating both TS and NTS (maximum score: 16 each). Self-reported confidence was measured on a 10-point Likert scale. Paired t-tests were used to compare pre and postintervention confidence, NT, and NTS scores.
Results:
Baseline confidence increased from 4.25 ± 1.22 to 7.32 ± 1.31, a mean increase of 3.07 points (p < 0.001). Mean NS scores increased from 4.4 ± 2.1 to 12.1 ± 1.3, a mean increase of 7.7 points (p < 0.001), while NTS scores increased from 6.9 ± 2.5 to 12.9 ± 2.1, a mean increase of 6.0 points (p < 0.001). Overall satisfaction was high, with a mean score of 4.4/5, and most participants reporting perceived usefulness in clinical practice.
Conclusion:
Task trainer-based training significantly enhances medical students' technical performance, NTS, and confidence in peripheral IV cannulation within a controlled learning environment. These findings suggest that a structured case-based simulation session may be associated with immediate improvements in procedural performance and self-reported confidence. Controlled studies with longer-term follow-up are needed to determine the causal and sustained effects of this training approach.
