The management of an unanticipated difficult airway resulting in a ‘can’t intubate–can’t oxygenate’ (CICO) emergency is a rare time-critical and life-threatening emergency that is highly stressful, and the associated stress can impair the performance of the whole multidisciplinary team.
We are interested in supporting anaesthetic trainees in managing CICO emergencies, especially by developing their non-technical skills for dealing with this situation. Simulation training supports learners to develop clinical skills in a safe learning environment that shares many features of a real environment. Our challenge was to create simulation training that had sufficient fidelity so as to evoke the stress of managing CICO emergencies.
The fidelity of a simulation is essential for evoking stress during a performance and is determined by (1) the level of immersion, with a sense of presence in which the individual has the perception that they are engaged in a real experience1 and (2) the level of authenticity, which is the extent to which the learner considers the simulation represents a real environment.2
We describe a feasibility study to ensure that the components of an intervention are appropriate to produce the intended outcomes and to identify any changes that may be required for a future larger study. Previous studies suggest that six participants can identify the extent to which the components are appropriate.3
We developed a …
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