P68
ENHANCING KNOWLEDGE OF EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT LOCATION IN PAEDIATRIC THEATRES: A MULTIMODAL EDUCATIONAL APPROACH
E. Keane, Temple Street Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
Introduction
The Royal College of Anaesthetists Guidelines for the Provision of Anaesthesia Services recommend that emergency equipment should be immediately available at all sites where anaesthesia takes place [1]. Availability of emergency equipment requires staff to have knowledge of its location so that it can be accessed immediately when the need arises. This single centre project aimed to improve staff's familiarity with emergency equipment within the theatre environment by employing varied educational techniques. The initiative recognised the importance of quick and accurate access to emergency equipment by enhancing staff knowledge of equipment location
Methods
Theatre nursing staff, anaesthesia non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs) and consultant anaesthetists at our institution were invited to participate in the project. Three educational interventions were employed. Initially, a baseline assessment, using a Multiple-Choice Questionnaire (MCQ) via Survey Monkey, assessed participants knowledge on the location and availability of emergency equipment. This approach also provided participants with correct answers, which is proven effective in reinforcing learning through immediate feedback [2], thereby serving as an initial learning tool. Subsequently, an informative teaching session was conducted, focusing on the practical aspects of locating emergency equipment in theatre. Lastly, an infographic (figure 1) was developed, displayed in our theatre department and shared on staff WhatsApp groups to reinforce the learned information visually. These methods were selected based on evidence supporting their effectiveness in adult learning and knowledge retention in clinical settings [3,4]. Following implementation of all three interventions, participants were re-assessed using a MCQ.
Results
Thirty eight staff members including theatre nurses, anaesthesia NCHDs and consultant anaesthetists were recruited for the project. There was a statistically significant improvement in MCQ scores, rising from mean (SD) 60 (28.7)% pre-intervention to 81.91 (20.4)% post-intervention (p=0.0002). Notably, the interventions impact varied across different professional groups: with nursing staff showing an increase from mean (SD) 81 (14)% to 89.3 (10.9)% (p=0.0304) ; anaesthesia NCHDs from 31 (15)% to 70.7 (24.6)% (p=0.0004); and consultant anaesthetists from 32 (21)% to 57 (26.7)% (p=0.1931).
Discussion
This initiative demonstrates the efficacy of a combined educational approach in enhancing staff familiarity with emergency equipment. The use of MCQs, small-group teaching sessions, and infographics proved to be effective, aligning with current educational strategies in healthcare [2,3,4]. These methods not only improved knowledge but may have contributed to enhanced patient safety and operational efficiency in the theatre environment. The project demonstrates the value of adapting educational strategies to meet the specific needs of different staff groups within a healthcare setting, emphasising ongoing, dynamic education as a cornerstone of quality healthcare delivery.
References:
- Royal College of Anaesthetists. Chapter 2: Guidelines for the Provision of Paediatric Anaesthesia Services. 2023. https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/gpas/chapter-10 (accessed 29/01/2023).
- Badyal DK, Bala S, Singh T, Gulrez G. Impact of immediate feedback on the learning of medical students in pharmacology. J Adv Med Educ Prof. 2019;7(1):1-6.
- Zadro JR, Ferreira GE, O'Keeffe M, Stahl-Timmins W, Elkins MR, Maher CG. How do people use and view infographics that summarise health and medical research? A cross-sectional survey. BMC Med Educ. 2022;22(1):677.
- Burgess A, van Diggele C, Roberts C, Mellis C. Facilitating small group learning in the health professions. BMC Med Educ. 2020;20(Suppl 2):457.