Resuscitation
Volume 80, Issue 8 , Pages 919-924, August 2009

Excellence in performance and stress reduction during two different full scale simulator training courses: A pilot study☆☆☆

  • Michael P. Müller

      Affiliations

    • Dept. of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital, Dresden University of Technology, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
    • Both authors contributed equally.
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +49 351 458 2943; fax: +49 351 458 5897.
    • ,
  • Mike Hänsel

      Affiliations

    • Dept. of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital, Dresden University of Technology, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
    • Both authors contributed equally.
    • ,
  • Andreas Fichtner

      Affiliations

    • Dept. of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital, Dresden University of Technology, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
    • ,
  • Florian Hardt

      Affiliations

    • Dept. of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Bischofswerda Hospital, Bischofswerda, Germany
    • ,
  • Sören Weber

      Affiliations

    • Dept. of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital, Dresden University of Technology, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
    • ,
  • Clemens Kirschbaum

      Affiliations

    • Institute of Psychology I, University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
    • ,
  • Sebastian Rüder

      Affiliations

    • Dept. of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital, Dresden University of Technology, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
    • ,
  • Felix Walcher

      Affiliations

    • Department of Trauma Surgery, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
    • ,
  • Thea Koch

      Affiliations

    • Dept. of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital, Dresden University of Technology, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
    • ,
  • Christoph Eich

      Affiliations

    • Department of Anaesthesiology, Emergency and Intensive Care Medicine, University Medical Centre, Göttingen, Germany

Received 26 November 2008; received in revised form 29 March 2009; accepted 16 April 2009. published online 22 May 2009.

Abstract 

Background

Simulator training is well established to improve technical and non-technical skills in critical situations. Few data exist about stress experienced during simulator training. This study aims to evaluate performance and stress in intensivists before and after two different simulator-based training approaches.

Methods

Thirty-two intensivists took part in one of six 1-day simulator courses. The courses were randomised to either crew resource management (CRM) training, which contains psychological teaching and simulator scenarios, or classic simulator training (MED). Before and after the course each participant took part in a 10-min test scenario. Before (T1) and after (T2) the scenario, and then again 15min later (T3), saliva samples were taken, and amylase and cortisol were measured. Non-technical skills were evaluated using the Anaesthetist's Non-Technical Skills (ANTS) assessment tool. Clinical performance of the participants in the test scenarios was rated using a checklist.

Results

Twenty-nine participants completed the course (17—CRM, 12—MED). ANTS scores as well as clinical performances were significantly better in the post-intervention scenario, with no differences between the groups. Both cortisol concentration and amylase activity showed a significant increase during the test scenarios. In the post-intervention scenario, the increase in amylase but not cortisol was significantly smaller. There were no differences between the CRM and MED group.

Conclusions

High fidelity patient simulation produces significant stress. After a 1-day simulator training, stress response measured by salivary alpha-amylase was reduced. Clinical performance and non-technical skills improved after 1 day of simulator training. Neither stress nor performance differed between the groups.

Keywords: Crew resource management, Simulation, Education, Postgraduate education

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☆ A Spanish translated version of the abstract of this article appears as Appendix in the final online version at doi:10.1016/j.resuscitation.2009.04.027.

☆☆ This study has been presented at the 8th Annual International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare, San Diego, CA, January 13–16, 2008 (3rd prize research abstract award, category patient safety).

PII: S0300-9572(09)00203-2

doi:10.1016/j.resuscitation.2009.04.027

Resuscitation
Volume 80, Issue 8 , Pages 919-924, August 2009

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