Clinical trial NCT04024982: TEE Training for Anaesthesiologists
Official title: The Ideal Sequence of Didactic Lectures and Simulation in Teaching Transoesophageal Echocardiography (TEE) Among Anaesthesiologists
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Cardiac
Keywords: Transoesophageal Echocardiography (TEE)
Learning
Lead sponsor: National University of Singapore
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2019-07-18
Enrollment: 43
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 21
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: CROSSOVER
Intervention model description: The TEE session will consist of a 1-hour lecture and a 2-hour simulation session. Participants for the TEE session are divided into 2 groups. Trainee participants are randomly divided into groups A and B. The specialists are also randomly divided into groups C and D. Groups A and C undergo lecture first then simulation, whereas B and D undergo simulation first then lecture.

Prior to the teaching session (lecture or simulation), the participants will take a MCQ pre-test with 30 questions relating to TEE safety, probe manipulation and basic views in TEE. There is no pre-test on technical skill, as all of them are novices to TEE (i.e. with no skill on TEE). A post-test consisting of 30 MCQs (same as pre-test but in a different sequence) and a technical skill test is held at the completion of both lecture and simulation sessions.
Primary purpose: OTHER

Brief summary: This study aims to find out the best sequence of teaching and learning events (i.e. first lecture and then simulated training or first simulated training and then lecture) in the acquisition of knowledge on Transoesophageal Echocardiography among trainee and specialist anaesthesiologists.

Detailed description: Basic Transoesophageal Echocardiography (TEE) is an essential skill in the armamentarium of an anaesthesiologist. Currently, majority of the TEE teaching is being done in the form of didactic lectures with only a few teaching centres offering simulation. TEE skill acquisition includes both technical and cognitive skills. Most of the studies done in TEE teaching have concluded that TEE simulation is an essential part of TEE skill training. The study team wanted to find out what is the best sequence of teaching to achieve the maximum skill acquisition in TEE.

In National University Hospital, Singapore, the Cardiac subdivision of anaesthesia specialists are accredited in TEE (American or European exams) and perform independent decision making in cardiac surgical theatres while the surgery is on-goingto facilitate dynamic decision making such as adequacy of valve repair, global LV function and emerging complications if any. The study team realised that TEE skills are also required for decisions beyond the cardiac surgical theaters where on the spot critical decisions making is required eg: in polytrauma and sudden unexplained hypotension or hypoxia in non-cardiac or ICU patients.

There are existing induction modules and prior teaching avenues in the department of anaesthesia such as the Cardiac Anaesthesia Simulation Training (CAST) module targeted at junior trainee's level. With initiative to equip every practicing anaesthesiologist with the vital skill of TEE image acquisition, the department of anaesthesia is launching a teaching program that is an in house training session. The study team aims to understand through this study the ideal sequence of teaching intervention to facilitate optimal learning and retention.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* All anaesthesia doctors in Singapore with no prior experience in TEE.

Exclusion Criteria:

* All anaesthesia doctors in Singapore with prior experience in TEE.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Knowledge and skill increment between both groups
timeFrame: Within an hour of completion of both lecture and simulation sessions.
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Demographic variations in knowledge and skill acquisition
timeFrame: Within an hour of completion of both lecture and simulation sessions.
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Singapore
country: Singapore
facility: National University Health System
Study officials:
affiliation: National University Health System
name: Swapna Thampi
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: