Cadaveric‐based Airway Management Instructional Videos to Supplement Traditionally Taught Patient Care Skills for Emergency Healthcare Providers
Authors: Albabish William , Sullivan Gary , Wall David , Jadeski Lorraine 
Published: June 2021

Effective administration of emergency medical care relies on the knowledge and skills of highly trained healthcare practitioners. As the scope of emergency medical care practice expands in the pre‐hospital and hospital environments, approaches to emergency healthcare education must continue to evolve; comprehensive understanding of human anatomy becomes more important than ever.

The University of Guelph (Human Anatomy Program) and Fanshawe College (Schools of Health Science and Public Safety) are collaborating to develop a cadaveric‐based educational resource to facilitate the teaching of techniques and clinical skills associated with intubation procedures: endotracheal tube with stylet (ET‐S), endotracheal tube with bougie introducer (ET‐B), and intubation through a laryngeal mask airway (ET‐LMA). When presented in conjunction with, or following, ‘traditional’ anatomy and patient care procedures, the overall intent is to encourage critical thought relative to health science theory and current professional practice.

We tested the efficacy of cadaveric‐based‐digital modules focused on the anatomy and skills associated with intubation procedures on first‐year students enrolled in the Respiratory Therapy Program at Fanshawe College. Participants entered the study with traditional ‘classroom knowledge’ of ET‐S and ET‐B; participants had no prior knowledge of ET‐LMA. Participants' knowledge of relevant anatomy was assessed pre‐ and post‐intervention. For procedures, participants learned and practiced using low fidelity task trainers, with either traditional teaching material (i.e., control group) or audiovisual modules (i.e., experimental group). Following ET procedures, participants' competencies were tested.

Pre‐intervention assessment of anatomical knowledge did not differ (0.77 ± 7.73%, p = 0.921), whereas post‐intervention assessment of anatomical knowledge differed between the two groups (24.21 ± 7.73%, p = 0.004). Specifically, when test scores for anatomical knowledge assessment were compared pre‐ and post‐intervention, the experimental group improved their scores by 26.59 ± 6.14% (p = 0.001); the control did not improve post‐intervention (1.60 ± 3.16%, p = 0.621) (Figure 1). When combined with classroom‐based instruction, cadaveric‐based training enhanced students' intubation skills for ET‐S and ET‐B procedures (ET‐S: 17.86 ± 5.65%, p = 0.004; ET‐B: 12.86 ± 5.83%, p = 0.036). Interestingly, post‐intervention intubation skills did differ between experimental and control groups for the procedure in which students had no prior knowledge, the ET‐LMA procedure (ET‐LMA: 1.96 ± 5.53%, p = 0.76) (Figure 2).

Student feedback suggested that cadaveric‐based learning improved their understanding and capacity to visualize anatomy, promoting an enhanced understanding of procedures. Procedural techniques were enhanced only when a cadaveric‐based module was associated with classroom‐based instruction, suggesting that the most beneficial use of this tool is to supplement traditional instructional practices.

This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.