Deliberate practice using validated metrics improves skill acquisition in performance of ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve block in a simulated setting

Implementing ultrasound-guided nerve blocks in the emergency department: A low-cost, low-fidelity training approach

Background

Managing acute pain is a common challenge in the emergency department (ED). Though widely used in perioperative settings, ED-based ultrasound-guided nerve blocks (UGNBs) have been slow to gain traction. Here, we develop a low-cost, low-fidelity, simulation-based training curriculum in UGNBs for emergency physicians to improve procedural competence and confidence.

Methods

In this pre-/postintervention study, ED physicians were enrolled to participate in a 2-h, in-person simulation training session composed of a didactic session followed by rotation through stations using handmade pork-based UGNB models. Learner confidence with performing and supervising UGNBs as well as knowledge and procedural-based competence were assessed pre- and posttraining via electronic survey quizzes. One-way repeated-measures ANOVAs and pairwise comparisons were conducted. The numbers of nerve blocks performed clinically in the department pre- and postintervention were compared.

Results

In total, 36 participants enrolled in training sessions, eight participants completed surveys at all three data collection time points. Of enrolled participants, 56% were trainees, 39% were faculty, 56% were female, and 53% self-identified as White. Knowledge and competency scores increased immediately postintervention (mean ± SD t0 score 66.9 ± 8.9 vs. t1 score 90.4 ± 11.7; p < 0.001), and decreased 3 months postintervention but remained elevated above baseline (t2 scores 77.2 ± 11.5, compared to t0; p = 0.03). Self-reported confidence in performing UGNBs increased posttraining (t0 5.0 ± 2.3 compared to t1 score 7.1 ± 1.5; p = 0.002) but decreased to baseline levels 3 months postintervention (t2 = 6.0 ± 1.9, compared to t0; p = 0.30).

Conclusions

A low-cost, low-fidelity simulation curriculum can improve ED provider procedural-based competence and confidence in performing UGNBs in the short term, with a trend toward sustained improvement in knowledge and confidence. Curriculum adjustments to achieve sustained improvement in confidence performing and supervising UGNBs long term are key to increased ED-based UGNB use.

Tissue-Mimicking Materials for Ultrasound-Guided Needle Intervention Phantoms: A Comprehensive Review

Ultrasound-guided needle interventions are common procedures in medicine, and tissue-mimicking phantoms are widely used for simulation training to bridge the gap between theory and clinical practice in a controlled environment. This review assesses tissue-mimicking materials from 24 studies as candidates for a high-fidelity ultrasound phantom, including methods for evaluating relevant acoustic and mechanical properties and to what extent the reported materials mimic the superficial layers of biological tissue. Speed of sound, acoustic attenuation, Young's modulus, hardness, needle interaction forces, training efficiency and material limitations were systematically evaluated. Although gelatin and agar have the closest acoustic values to tissue, mechanical properties are limited, and strict storage protocols must be employed to counteract dehydration and microbial growth. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) has superior mechanical properties and is a suitable alternative if durability is desired and some ultrasound realism to human tissue may be sacrificed. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), while also requiring hydration, performs well across all categories. Furthermore, we propose a framework for the evaluation of future ultrasound-guided needle intervention tissue phantoms to increase the fidelity of training programs and thereby improve clinical performance.

Anterior plating technique for distal radius: comparing performance after learning through naive versus deliberate practice

BACKGROUND

Surgical teaching is most often carried out in the operating theatre through mentorship, and the performance of surgical procedures is rarely measured. The objective of this article is to compare the progression in learning curves of junior surgeons trained in the anterior plating technique for the distal radius on a nonbiological model according to three different methods.

METHODS

The materials comprised 12 junior surgeons of level 1 or 2 (as per Tang and Giddins) divided into three groups: control (G1), naive practice (G2), and deliberate practice (G3). The three groups watched a demonstration video of a level 5 expert. The four G1 surgeons (two level 1 and two level 2) saw the video only once, and each inserted five plates. The four G2 surgeons (two level 1 and two level 2) inserted five plates and watched the video before each time. The four G3 surgeons (two level 1 and two level 2) saw the video before the first plate insertion. Before posing the subsequent four plates, the four G3 surgeons watched their own video, and the expert indicated their errors and how to avoid them next time. A 12-criteria OSATS defined on the basis of the 60 videos, each graded from one (min.) to five (max.), was used to measure the objective surgical performance per plating (min. 12; max. 60) and per series of five plate fixations (min. 60, max. 300).

RESULTS

The total average objective performance of G1 was 44.73, of G2 was 50.57 and of G3 was 54.35. Change in objective performance was better for G3 (13.25) than G2 (5) or G1 (3.75). For all groups, the progression in objective performance was better amongst level 1 surgeons (9) than level 2 surgeons (5.6).

CONCLUSION

Surgical teaching is based on mentorship and experience. However, since "see one, practice many, do one" has started to replace "see one, do one, teach one", learning techniques have increasingly relied on procedure simulators. Against this background, few studies have looked at measuring the performance of surgical procedures and improved learning curves. Our results appear to suggest that deliberate practice, when used in addition to mentorship, is the best option for shortening the growth phase of the learning curve and improving performance. Deliberate practice is a learning technique for surgical procedures that is complementary to mentorship and experience, which allows the growth phase of the learning curve to be shortened and the objective performance of junior surgeons to be improved.

Validation of the soft-embalmed Thiel cadaver as a high-fidelity simulator of pressure during targeted nerve injection

INTRODUCTION

Although administration of regional anesthesia nerve blocks has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, training opportunities in regional anesthesia have reduced. Simulation training may enhance skills, but simulators must be accurate enough for trainees to engage in a realistic way-for example, detection of excessive injection pressure. The soft-embalmed Thiel cadaver is a life-like, durable simulator that is used for dedicated practice and mastery learning training in regional anesthesia. We hypothesized that injection opening pressure in perineural tissue, at epineurium and in subepineurium were similar to opening pressures measured in experimental animals, fresh frozen cadavers, glycol soft-fix cadavers and patients.

METHODS

We systematically reviewed historical data, then conducted three validation studies delivering a 0.5 mL hydrolocation bolus of embalming fluid and recording injection pressure. First, we delivered the bolus at 12 mL/min at epimysium, perineural tissue, epineurium and in subepineurium at 48 peripheral nerve sites on three cadavers. Second, we delivered the bolus at using three infusion rates: 1 mL/min, 6 mL/min and 12 mL/min on epineurium at 70 peripheral nerve sites on five cadavers. Third, we repeated three injections (12 mL/min) at 24 epineural sites over the median and sciatic nerves of three cadavers.

RESULTS

Mean (95%) injection pressure was greater at epineurium compared with subepineurium (geometric ratio 1.2 (95% CI: 0.9 to 1.6)), p=0.04, and perineural tissue (geometric ratio 5.1 (95% CI: 3.7 to 7.0)), p<0.0001. Mean (95%) injection pressure was greater at 12 mL/min compared with 1 mL/min (geometric ratio 1.6 (95% CI: 1.2 to 2.1), p=0.005). Pressure measurements were similar in study 3 (p>0.05 for all comparisons).

DISCUSSION

We conclude that the soft-embalmed Thiel cadaver is a realistic simulator of injection opening pressure.

Educating Anesthesiologists During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic and Beyond

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has altered approaches to anesthesiology education by shifting educational paradigms. This vision article discusses pre-COVID-19 educational methodologies and best evidence, adaptations required under COVID-19, and evidence for these modifications, and suggests future directions for anesthesiology education. Learning management systems provide structure to online learning. They have been increasingly utilized to improve access to didactic materials asynchronously. Despite some historic reservations, the pandemic has necessitated a rapid uptake across programs. Commercially available systems offer a wide range of peer-reviewed curricular options. The flipped classroom promotes learning foundational knowledge before teaching sessions with a focus on application during structured didactics. There is growing evidence that this approach is preferred by learners and may increase knowledge gain. The flipped classroom works well with learning management systems to disseminate focused preclass work. Care must be taken to keep virtual sessions interactive. Simulation, already used in anesthesiology, has been critical in preparation for the care of COVID-19 patients. Multidisciplinary, in situ simulations allow for rapid dissemination of new team workflows. Physical distancing and reduced availability of providers have required more sessions. Early pandemic decreases in operating volumes have allowed for this; future planning will have to incorporate smaller groups, sanitizing of equipment, and attention to use of personal protective equipment. Effective technical skills training requires instruction to mastery levels, use of deliberate practice, and high-quality feedback. Reduced sizes of skill-training workshops and approaches for feedback that are not in-person will be required. Mock oral and objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) allow for training and assessment of competencies often not addressed otherwise. They provide formative and summative data and objective measurements of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) milestones. They also allow for preparation for the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) APPLIED examination. Adaptations to teleconferencing or videoconferencing can allow for continued use. Benefits of teaching in this new era include enhanced availability of asynchronous learning and opportunities to apply universal, expert-driven curricula. Burdens include decreased social interactions and potential need for an increased amount of smaller, live sessions. Acquiring learning management systems and holding more frequent simulation and skills sessions with fewer learners may increase cost. With the increasing dependency on multimedia and technology support for teaching and learning, one important focus of educational research is on the development and evaluation of strategies that reduce extraneous processing and manage essential and generative processing in virtual learning environments. Collaboration to identify and implement best practices has the potential to improve education for all learners.

Contemporary training methods in regional anaesthesia: fundamentals and innovations

Over the past two decades, regional anaesthesia and medical education as a whole have undergone a renaissance. Significant changes in our teaching methods and clinical practice have been influenced by improvements in our theoretical understanding as well as by technological innovations. More recently, there has been a focus on using foundational education principles to teach regional anaesthesia, and the evidence on how to best teach and assess trainees is growing. This narrative review will discuss fundamentals and innovations in regional anaesthesia training. We present the fundamentals in regional anaesthesia training, specifically the current state of simulation-based education, deliberate practice and curriculum design based on competency-based progression. Moving into the future, we present the latest innovations in web-based learning, emerging technologies for teaching and assessment and new developments in alternate reality learning systems.

Education and training in ultrasound-guided regional anaesthesia and pain medicine

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Effective and safe regional anaesthesia and pain medicine procedures require clinicians to learn and master complex theoretical knowledge and motor skills. This review aims to summarize articles relevant to education and training in these skill sets in the previous 2 years.

RECENT FINDINGS

Twenty-two articles were identified, investigating nine out of the 13 top-ranked research topics in education and training in regional anaesthesia. Research topics addressed by these articles included prerotation simulation, deliberate practice combined with formative assessment tools, validation of assessment tools, three-dimensional-printed models, and knowledge translation from simulation to clinical practice. Emerging concepts investigated for their applications in regional anaesthesia included eye-tracking as a surrogate metric when evaluating proficiency, and elastography aiding visual salience to distinguish appropriate perineural and inappropriate intraneural injections.

SUMMARY

Research into education and training in regional anaesthesia covered multiple and diverse topics. Methodological limitations were noted in several articles, reflecting the difficulties in designing and conducting medical education studies. Nonetheless, the evidence-base continues to mature and innovations provide exciting future possibilities.

Perfecting practice: a protocol for assessing simulation-based mastery learning and deliberate practice versus self-guided practice for bougie-assisted cricothyroidotomy performance

BACKGROUND

Simulation-based medical education (SBME) is a cornerstone for procedural skill training in residency education. Multiple studies have concluded that SBME is highly effective, superior to traditional clinical education, and translates to improved patient outcomes. Additionally it is widely accepted that mastery learning, which comprises deliberate practice, is essential for expert level performance for routine skills; however, given that highly structured practice is more time and resource-intensive, it is important to assess its value for the acquisition of rarely performed technical skills. The bougie-assisted cricothyroidotomy (BAC), a rarely performed, lifesaving procedure, is an ideal skill for evaluating the utility of highly structured practice as it is relevant across many acute care specialties and rare - making it unlikely for learners to have had significant previous training or clinical experience. The purpose of this study is to compare a modified mastery learning approach with deliberate practice versus self-guided practice on technical skill performance using a bougie-assisted cricothyroidotomy model.

METHODS

A multi-centre, randomized study will be conducted at four Canadian and one American residency programs with 160 residents assigned to either mastery learning and deliberate practice (ML + DP), or self-guided practice for BAC. Skill performance, using a global rating scale, will be assessed before, immediately after practice, and 6 months later. The two groups will be compared to assess whether the type of practice impacts performance and skill retention.

DISCUSSION

Mastery learning coupled with deliberate practice provides systematic and focused feedback during skill acquisition. However, it is resource-intensive and its efficacy is not fully defined. This multi-centre study will provide generalizable data about the utility of highly structured practice for technical skill acquisition of a rare, lifesaving procedure within postgraduate medical education. Study findings will guide educators in the selection of an optimal training strategy, addressing both short and long term performance.

Surgical Pathology "Boot Camp": A Military Experience

CONTEXT.—

A common concern in pathology residency training is the variability with which incoming trainees have attained basic pathology competencies during undergraduate medical education. While multifactorial deficiencies are likely due to recent de-emphasis of dedicated pathology courses during preclinical training, accelerating the transition from medical student to pathology resident is critical-particularly in military practice where a greater degree of autonomy is required of recent graduates.

OBJECTIVE.—

To describe the implementation and results of a 4-week surgical pathology "boot camp" in the largest military pathology residency program in the United States.

DESIGN.—

Interns were administered an assessment on basic pathology knowledge, slide practicals, and a skills self-assessment. All specimens were grossed by interns with constant direct supervision. A daily microscopic didactic session was given by an upper level resident and a daily gross conference was led by the interns. Subsequent academic performance was evaluated via monthly slide practicals and diagnostic agreement with faculty.

RESULTS.—

Following boot camp, average scores on the knowledge assessment increased from 36.0% ± 16.2% (standard deviation [SD]) to 80.0% ± 12.6% (SD) (P < .001). Slide practical scores showed an increase from 32% ± 12.0% (SD) to 74.0% ± 16.2% (SD) (P < .001). Skills self-assessment showed a global increase across all measures. Throughout the following academic year, postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) residents performed at the same level of current PGY2 residents, based on surgical pathology faculty diagnostic agreement and slide practical performance.

CONCLUSIONS.—

An intense 4-week surgical pathology rotation specifically tailored to incoming interns was successful in transitioning medical students to pathology residents within a relatively short time.