• H A Schwid, G A Rooke, P Michalowski, and B K Ross.
• Department of Anesthesiology, University of Washington, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, 663/112A, 1660 South Columbian Way, Seattle, WA 98108, USA. hschwid@u.washington.edu
• Teach Learn Med. 2001 Jan 1;13(2):92-6.

BackgroundPrevious investigations have established the need for improved training for management of anesthetic emergencies. Training with inexpensive screen-based anesthesia simulators may prove to be helpful.PurposesWe measured the effectiveness of screen-based simulator training with debriefing on the response to simulated anesthetic critical incidents.MethodsThirty-one 1st-year clinical anesthesia residents were randomized into 2 groups. The intervention group handled 10 anesthetic emergencies using the screen-based anesthesia simulator program and received written feedback on their management, whereas the traditional (control) group was asked to study a handout covering the same 10 emergencies. All residents then were evaluated on their management of 4 standardized scenarios in a mannequin-based simulator using a quantitative scoring system.ResultsThe average point score for the simulator-with-debriefing group was 52.6 +/- 9.9 out of 95 possible points. The traditional group average point score was 43.4 +/- 5.9, p = .004.ConclusionsResidents who managed anesthetic problems using a screen-based anesthesia simulator handled the emergencies in a mannequin-based anesthesia simulator better than residents who were asked to study a handout covering the same problems. Computer simulations with feedback are effective as a supplement to traditional residency training methods for the management of medical emergencies.

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