Efficacy and Usefulness of an Educational Video on Safe Medication Handling

Background: Medication errors are a significant and detrimental issue in anesthesia practice and have the potential to have drastic effects for patients, providers, and hospitals; therefore, it is important to determine if an educational video on safe medication handling technique can improve knowledge on safe medication handling. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and perceived usefulness of an investigator-developed educational video on nurse anesthesia trainees’ (NATs) knowledge of safe medication handling. Methods: A single group pretest-posttest design was used to evaluate actual knowledge and perceived usefulness of safe medication handling video. A convenience sample included 19 voluntary second year NATs at NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Anesthesia. Results: Using a paired sample t- test, a statistically significant difference was found between the pre-knowledge assessment tool mean score of M = 3.6842 with SD = 1.97 and the postknowledge assessment tool mean score of M = 7.6842 with SD = 2.26 (t = 6.643; df = 18; p = 0.00*). The overall mean score of the Perceived Usefulness Scale was M = 4.28; SD=.36, indicating moderately high perceived usefulness of the safe handling video. Eighty nine and a half percent (n=17) of the participants rated each question in the Perceived Usefulness Questionnaire greater than the neutral score of 3. Conclusion: The educational video increased the knowledge on NAT-2’s on safe medication handling and was perceived as a useful tool. The video can be used for future NAT-2s to increase their knowledge on safe medication handling prior to their clinical experience

Efficacy and Usefulness of an Educational Video on Safe Medication Handling

Background: Medication errors are a significant and detrimental issue in anesthesia practice and have the potential to have drastic effects for patients, providers, and hospitals; therefore, it is important to determine if an educational video on safe medication handling technique can improve knowledge on safe medication handling. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and perceived usefulness of an investigator-developed educational video on nurse anesthesia trainees’ (NATs) knowledge of safe medication handling. Methods: A single group pretest-posttest design was used to evaluate actual knowledge and perceived usefulness of safe medication handling video. A convenience sample included 19 voluntary second year NATs at NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Anesthesia. Results: Using a paired sample t- test, a statistically significant difference was found between the pre-knowledge assessment tool mean score of M = 3.6842 with SD = 1.97 and the postknowledge assessment tool mean score of M = 7.6842 with SD = 2.26 (t = 6.643; df = 18; p = 0.00*). The overall mean score of the Perceived Usefulness Scale was M = 4.28; SD=.36, indicating moderately high perceived usefulness of the safe handling video. Eighty nine and a half percent (n=17) of the participants rated each question in the Perceived Usefulness Questionnaire greater than the neutral score of 3. Conclusion: The educational video increased the knowledge on NAT-2’s on safe medication handling and was perceived as a useful tool. The video can be used for future NAT-2s to increase their knowledge on safe medication handling prior to their clinical experience

Bedside ultrasound education in Canadian medical schools: A national survey

Background: This study was carried out to determine the extent and characteristics of bedside ultrasound teaching in medical schools across Canada.Methods: A cross-sectional, survey-based study was used to assess undergraduate bedside ultrasound education in the 17 accredited medical schools in Canada. The survey, consisting of 19 questions was pilot-tested, web-based, and completed over a period of seven months in 2014.Results:  Approximately half of the 13 responding medical schools had integrated bedside ultrasound teaching into their undergraduate curriculum. The most common trends in undergraduate ultrasound teaching related to duration (1-5 hours/year in 50% of schools), format (practical and theoretical in 67% of schools), and logistics (1:4 instructor to student ratio in 67% of schools). The majority of responding vice-deans indicated that bedside ultrasound education should be integrated into the medical school curriculum (77%), and cited a lack of ultrasound machines and infrastructure as barriers to integration.Conclusions: This study documents the current characteristics of undergraduate ultrasound education in Canada

Some experiments in man-machine interaction relevant to computer assisted learning

Various techniques for the communication of instructional material are outlined. Some experiments relevant to the design of multi-media computer assisted learning systems are then described

A Science Education Study Using Visual Cognition and Eye Tracking to Explore Medication Selection in the Novice Versus Expert Nurse Anesthetist

The purpose of this science education study is to explore visual cognition and eye tracking during medication selection in the student nurse anesthetist (first year and second year students) and the expert nurse anesthetist. The first phase of this study consisted of the selection of a specific medication (target) from an array of medications via computer simulation. Various dependent variables were recorded to examine performance (reaction time and accuracy), and the allocation of visual attention was measured with eye tracking (dwell proportion, verification, and guidance). The second phase of this study included the administration of a demographic and post experiment questionnaire to capture additional quantitative and qualitative data. Results demonstrate that similar distractors attract attention during search as evidenced by longer reaction times when similar distractors are present, most significantly in expert participants. Additionally, all participants spent a greater amount of time looking at the similar distractor as compared to randomly chosen non-similar distractors when a similar distractor was present. However, the presence of similar distractors in target present trials increased performance in experts, decreased performance in second year students, and had no effect on first year students’ performance. Expertise effects were further demonstrated, as expert participants were significantly slower than both first and second years during target verification. The post experiment questionnaire included both open-ended and close-ended questions, to allow for themes to emerge related the participants’ beliefs related to visual search and medication selection. The results reinforced the eye tracking results reported above, with most participants identifying “color” and “medication label” as the most difficult medication features to distinguish during visual search. Additionally, the majority of participants who responded they had committed a medication error, identified “similarity” as the most common factor that led to the medication error

Team performance in the operating theatre

Imperial Users onl

Evaluation of an anaesthesia automated record keeping system : a human factors approach

Anaesthesia Information Management System (AIMS) is an automated record keeping system that imports and stores patient’s vital signs information from a physiological monitor in real-time. However, only a handful of studies have examined the effect of automated record keeping system on anaesthetists’ cognitive performance. Therefore, the current thesis aims to evaluate AIMS in terms of anaesthetists’ attitude (Study 1) and its effect on their cognitive performance (Study 2). Study 1, a questionnaire study examined anaesthetists’ trust and acceptance of AIMS. Forty-two anaesthetists at Tuen Mun Hospital (TMH) and Po Oi hospitals (POH) have completed a self-reported questionnaire. Results found that anaesthetists generally adopted a positive attitude toward AIMS. They exhibited a high level of trust and acceptance of AIMS. Also, they perceived AIMS as highly useful and relevant to their job. Study 2, a simulation study compared AIMS with manual record keeping on anaesthetists’ vigilance, situation awareness (SA) and mental workload. 20 anaesthetists at TMH were randomly assigned to two conditions: (1) AIMS and (2) Manual. Each participant received a 45-minute scenario in a full-scale simulation. Participants were asked to take over a case of general anaesthesia and perform record keeping. Results showed that AIMS did not impair anaesthetists’ vigilance and SA. In addition, it reduced anaesthetists’ mental workload and enabled them to spend less time on record keeping task. The current thesis provides an evaluation of AIMS by using a human factors approach. It contributes to the understanding on the effect of AIMS on anaesthetist’ in terms of attitude and cognitive performance. Based on the evaluation, we generate some recommendation for designers and hospitals to address the limitation of AIMS in interface designs and to increase anaesthetists’ acceptance of AIMS

Competence assessment in anaesthesia nursing care

In order to provide high-quality anaesthesia nursing care, competence assessment of nurses is essential. However, in anaesthesia nursing care there has been a lack of psychometrically tested competence assessment scales. Therefore, the purpose of this study was i) to develop an Anaesthesia Nursing Competence Scale (AnestComp) and ii) to assess the anaesthesia nursing competence of nurses using the scale, with the goal of promoting anaesthesia nursing competence of nurses and providing high-quality anaesthesia care. The study was carried out in two phases: Phase I focused on describing the concept of anaesthesia nursing competence based on a literature review and experts’ descriptions which then became the foundation for the AnestComp; this was followed by testing the psychometric properties of the scale. In Phase II, the anaesthesia nursing competence of anaesthesia nurses (n=222) was self-assessed by using the AnestComp. The psychometric properties of the AnestComp were tested: reliability (Cronbach’s α), face validity, content validity, and construct validity. In this study, the data of nursing students (n=205) were also collected and analysed for the purpose of the construct validity testing of the AnestComp. Anaesthesia nursing competence is a multi-dimensional conception comprising of seven competence areas: (1) ethics of anaesthesia care, (2) patient risk care, (3) patient engagement with technology, (4) collaboration within anaesthesia care, (5) anaesthesia patient care with medication, (6) anaesthesia nursing intervention, and (7) knowledge of anaesthesia care. The AnestComp developed based on these competence areas consists of 39 items and uses a Visual Analogue Scale (0-100mm). The AnestComp is considered a promising scale for assessing the anaesthesia nursing competence of nurses based on the testing of psychometric properties. Nurses’ self-assessed competence (VAS 88) exceeded the expected level; in this study, the expected level was set as a mean of VAS 80. Collaboration within anaesthesia care was the highest competence area, whereas patient risk care and knowledge of anaesthesia care were the lowest, and thus identified as fields requiring educational needs. Work experience and specialised anaesthesia nursing education were significant factors related to the higher anaesthesia nursing competence of nurses. The competence of nurses (particularly novices) in patient risk care and knowledge of anaesthesia care should be ensured through regular competence assessments. More opportunity for specialised anaesthesia nursing education might be one way to improve the anaesthesia nursing competence of nurses.Ammattipätevyyden arviointi anestesiahoitotyössä Ammattipätevyyden arviointi on välttämätöntä korkealaatuisen anestesiahoitotyön toteuttamiseksi. Anestesiahoitotyössä ei ole aikaisemmin ollut validia psykometrisesti testattua ammattipätevyyden arviointimittaria. Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli i) kehittää validi ammattipätevyyden arviointimittari anestesiahoitotyötä varten (AnestComp) ja ii) arvioida anestesiahoitajien anestesiahoitotyön ammattipätevyyttä hyödyntämällä kehitettyä arviointimittaria. Tavoitteena oli anestesiahoitotyön pätevyyden ja korkealaatuisen anestesiahoidon edistäminen. Tutkimus toteutettiin kahdessa vaiheessa. Vaihe I painottui anestesiahoitotyön ammattipätevyyden käsitteen kuvaamiseen kirjallisuuskatsauksen ja asiantuntijoiden kuvausten perusteella. Sen jälkeen kehitettiin anestesiahoitotyön ammattipätevyysmittari (AnestComp) ja testattiin sen psykometriset ominaisuudet. Vaiheessa II anestesiahoitajat (n=222) itsearvioivat ammattipätevyyttään AnestComp mittarilla. Tilastollisten aineistojen analyysissä AnestComp-mittarin luotettavuus (Cronbachin α) ja rakennevaliditeetti testattiin sairaanhoitajien aineistolla. Tässä tutkimuksessa myös sairaanhoitajaopiskelijoiden (n = 205) aineistot kerättiin ja analysoitiin AnestComp-mittarin rakennevaliditeettitestausta varten. Anestesiahoitotyön pätevyyttä kuvataan moniulotteisena käsitteenä, joka käsittää seitsemän pätevyysaluetta: (1) anestesiahoidon etiikka, (2) anestesiapotilaan riskien hoito, (3) teknologiavälitteinen potilashoito, (4) yhteistyö anestesiahoidossa, (5) anestesiapotilaan lääkehoito, (6) anestesiahoitotyön interventio sekä (7) tietämys anestesiahoidosta. Näiden ammattipätevyysalueiden pohjalta kehitettiin AnestComp-mittari (39 väittämää, VAS 0-100). Sitä pidettiin psykometristen ominaisuuksien testauksen perusteella lupaavana mittarina anestesiahoitotyön ammattipätevyyden arvioimiseksi. Sairaanhoitajien itsearvioitu pätevyys (VAS 88) ylitti odotetun tason, joka tässä tutkimuksessa oli asetettu VAS 80:ksi. Korkein pätevyysalue oli yhteistyö anestesiahoidossa, mutta anestesiapotilaan riskien hoito ja tietämys anestesiahoidosta tunnistettiin matalimmiksi ammattipätevyysalueiksi. Työkokemus ja erikoistunut anestesiahoitajakoulutus olivat merkittäviä tekijöitä, jotka liittyivät sairaanhoitajien ammattiosaamisen korkeampaan pätevyyteen. Sairaanhoitajien osaaminen (erityisesti uusien hoitajien) kahdella heikoimmalla ammattipätevyyden osa-alueilla tulisi varmistaa säännöllisten ammattipätevyysarviointien avulla. Mahdollisuus erikoistua anestesiahoitotyöhön voisi olla keino edistää anestesiahoitotyön ammattipätevyyttä