TY - JOUR

T1 - Preparing for Emergency

T2 - A Valid, Reliable Assessment Tool for Emergency Cricothyroidotomy Skills

AU - Melchiors, Jacob

AU - Todsen, Tobias

AU - Nilsson, Philip

AU - Wennervaldt, Kasper

AU - Charabi, Birgitte

AU - Bøttger, Morten

AU - Konge, Lars

AU - von Buchwald, Christian

N1 - © American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2014.

PY - 2015/2

Y1 - 2015/2

N2 - OBJECTIVE: Emergency cricothyrodotomy (EC) is a lifesaving procedure. Evidence-based assessment of training effects and competency levels is relevant to all departments involved in emergency airway management. As most training uses low-fidelity models, the predictive value of good performance on such a model becomes relevant with regard to performance on a high-fidelity model (cadaver). This requires a valid assessment tool for EC performance.STUDY DESIGN: Psychometric study on low-fidelity models and human cadavers.SETTING: University hospital.SUBJECTS AND METHODS: An assessment tool was created. Sixteen physicians (7 experienced surgeons and 9 novice physicians) performed an EC on a low-fidelity model and a cadaver. Two blinded raters assessed video recordings of performances using the assessment tool.RESULTS: We found a high interrater reliability, based on a Pearson's r (0.81), and good evidence for validity, based on successfully distinguishing the 2 groups, using an independent samples t test (P < .001). We found a good correlation between performance on a low-fidelity model and the cadaver with an R (2) = 0.78.CONCLUSION: The tool for assessing EC competence proved reliable and valid. Performance on a low-fidelity model measured this way is a good predictor of performance in a more lifelike situation.

AB - OBJECTIVE: Emergency cricothyrodotomy (EC) is a lifesaving procedure. Evidence-based assessment of training effects and competency levels is relevant to all departments involved in emergency airway management. As most training uses low-fidelity models, the predictive value of good performance on such a model becomes relevant with regard to performance on a high-fidelity model (cadaver). This requires a valid assessment tool for EC performance.STUDY DESIGN: Psychometric study on low-fidelity models and human cadavers.SETTING: University hospital.SUBJECTS AND METHODS: An assessment tool was created. Sixteen physicians (7 experienced surgeons and 9 novice physicians) performed an EC on a low-fidelity model and a cadaver. Two blinded raters assessed video recordings of performances using the assessment tool.RESULTS: We found a high interrater reliability, based on a Pearson's r (0.81), and good evidence for validity, based on successfully distinguishing the 2 groups, using an independent samples t test (P < .001). We found a good correlation between performance on a low-fidelity model and the cadaver with an R (2) = 0.78.CONCLUSION: The tool for assessing EC competence proved reliable and valid. Performance on a low-fidelity model measured this way is a good predictor of performance in a more lifelike situation.

KW - Airway Management

KW - Cadaver

KW - Clinical Competence

KW - Cricoid Cartilage

KW - Emergencies

KW - Hospitals, University

KW - Humans

KW - Inservice Training

KW - Manikins

KW - Psychometrics

KW - Reproducibility of Results

KW - Video Recording

U2 - 10.1177/0194599814556722

DO - 10.1177/0194599814556722

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 25385808

VL - 152

SP - 260

EP - 265

JO - Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery

JF - Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery

SN - 0194-5998

IS - 2

ER -