Evaluating the effectiveness of a self-guided online course for Crisis Resource Management (CRM) knowledge and skills

Introduction: CRM knowledge and skills are an important part of anesthesiology training and are specifically identified as competency milestones by the American Board of Anesthesiology and Anesthesiology Residency Review... [ view full abstract ]

Introduction:

CRM knowledge and skills are an important part of anesthesiology training and are specifically identified as competency milestones by the American Board of Anesthesiology and Anesthesiology Residency Review committee. In most institutions the primary method of teaching CRM skills and behavior is through didactics and simulation-based training.  Unfortunately, simulation-based training is time and resource intensive.  An effective on-line training module covering CRM principles might allow a reduction in the amount of time spent in the simulation center on formal didactic training of CRM skills and knowledge, and increase the amount of time spent on actual simulation exercises.  The purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis that a one-hour self-guided online crisis resource management (CRM) course is as effective at improving trainee CRM knowledge and skills as a one-hour lecture session taught by a faculty instructor. 

Methods:

All consented participants will receive a 30-question CRM knowledge pre-test and take part in a standardized 10 minute simulated crisis scenario. Feedback will not be given during this initial session. Video recordings of each participant’s performance during the simulated crisis will be scored by trained raters using a standardized crisis resource management non-technical skills rating tool. Following the pre-test and simulation assessment, participants will be randomly placed into one of two groups: experimental and control. The experimental group will be given one hour to complete the online CRM training module.  The control group will receive a standardized one-hour didactic session on CRM. We will use the same simulation faculty member for each didactic session; the lecturer will not be involved in rating the participants. After the one hour CRM training is complete, all participants will then retake the same knowledge test administered as a pretest, and undergo another standardized simulation. A video-recording of the simulation will be scored by trained faculty raters using the same CRM 
assessment tool as in the pretest. Raters will be blinded to participant group. The scores from both groups will be evaluated to compare any performance improvements from the pre-test to the post-test. The content of the lecture was developed by the authors in conjunction with SIM faculty experts at 5 other academic institutions. A review of the SIM literature, CRM training courses, and CRM assessments was used to determine the content covered in the lecture.

Results, Conclusions, Discussion: 

Pending. The education materials (lecture series and modules) are almost complete. IRB approval was obtained and we are awaiting the new cycle of resident trainees to recruit participants.