Emergency medicine residents' knowledge of mechanical ventilation.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-1-2015
Institution/Department
Emergency
Journal Title
The Journal of emergency medicine
MeSH Headings
Adult, Clinical Competence, Educational Measurement, Emergency Medicine, Female, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Humans, Internship and Residency, Male, Regression Analysis, Respiration, Artificial, Self Efficacy
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Although Emergency physicians frequently intubate patients, management of mechanical ventilation has not been emphasized in emergency medicine (EM) residency curricula.
OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to quantify EM residents' education, experience, and knowledge regarding mechanical ventilation.
METHODS: We developed a survey of residents' educational experiences with ventilators and an assessment tool with nine clinical questions. Correlation and regression analyses were performed to evaluate the relationship between residents' scores on the assessment instrument and their training, education, and comfort with ventilation.
RESULTS: Of 312 EM residents, 218 responded (69.9%). The overall correct response rate for the assessment tool was 73.3%, standard deviation (SD) ± 22.3. Seventy-seven percent (n = 167) of respondents reported ≤ 3 h of mechanical ventilation education in their residency curricula over the past year. Residents reported frequently caring for ventilated patients in the ED, as 64% (n = 139) recalled caring for ≥ 4 ventilated patients per month. Fifty-three percent (n = 116) of residents endorsed feeling comfortable caring for mechanically ventilated ED patients. In multiregression analysis, the only significant predictor of total test score was residents' comfort with caring for mechanically ventilated patients (F = 10.963, p = 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: EM residents report caring for mechanically ventilated patients frequently, but receive little education on mechanical ventilation. Furthermore, as residents' performance on the assessment tool is only correlated with their self-reported comfort with caring for ventilated patients, these results demonstrate an opportunity for increased educational focus on mechanical ventilation management in EM residency training.
ISSN
0736-4679
First Page
481
Last Page
491
Recommended Citation
Wilcox, Susan R; Seigel, Todd A; Strout, Tania D; Schneider, Jeffrey I; Mitchell, Patricia M; Marcolini, Evie G; Cocchi, Michael N; Smithline, Howard A; Lutfy-Clayton, Lucienne; Mullen, Marie; Ilgen, Jonathan S; and Richards, Jeremy B, "Emergency medicine residents' knowledge of mechanical ventilation." (2015). Maine Medical Center. 39.
https://knowledgeconnection.mainehealth.org/mmc/39
