Tracheostomy Care Education for the Nonsurgical First Responder: A Needs-Based Assessment and Quality Improvement Initiative

Objectives To perform a needs-based assessment for tracheostomy care education for nonsurgical first responders in the hospital setting and to implement and assess the efficacy of a targeted tracheostomy educational program. Methods A prospective observational study conducted between October 2017 an...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kinneri Mehta MD, Marissa Schwartz MD, Todd E. Falcone MD, Katherine R. Kavanagh MD
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2019-04-01
Series:OTO Open
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/2473974X19844993
_version_ 1797423609949454336
author Kinneri Mehta MD
Marissa Schwartz MD
Todd E. Falcone MD
Katherine R. Kavanagh MD
author_facet Kinneri Mehta MD
Marissa Schwartz MD
Todd E. Falcone MD
Katherine R. Kavanagh MD
author_sort Kinneri Mehta MD
collection DOAJ
description Objectives To perform a needs-based assessment for tracheostomy care education for nonsurgical first responders in the hospital setting and to implement and assess the efficacy of a targeted tracheostomy educational program. Methods A prospective observational study conducted between October 2017 and May 2018 including emergency medicine (EM) residents, internal medicine (IM) residents, and intensive care unit (ICU) advanced practice providers at 2 tertiary hospitals. Needs-based assessments were conducted, leading to specialty specific curricula. One-hour educational sessions included didactics and case-based simulation. A pre- and posttest objective knowledge quiz and self-assessment were administered, and a posttest was repeated at 6 months. Results There were 85 participants (13 ICU, 40 EM, 32 IM). Significant improvement ( P < .05) in mean objective knowledge score was seen across all groups between pre- and postintervention assessments with relative but not significant improvement at 6 months. There were significant increases in comfort level from pre- to postintervention. At 6-month follow-up, comfort level remained significantly increased for the majority of questions for the EM group and for select questions for IM and ICU advanced practice provider groups. Discussion Nonsurgeons are often first responders to critical airway situations yet receive limited formal education regarding tracheostomy. We demonstrated improvement in knowledge and comfort after a targeted educational module for tracheostomy care and management. Implications for Practice Although tracheostomy care is multidisciplinary, specialty-specific education may provide a more relevant foundation on which to build skills. Prompt and effective management of tracheostomy emergencies by first responders may improve patient safety and reduce mortality.
first_indexed 2024-03-09T07:49:24Z
format Article
id doaj.art-147a076caf0d43cf9f983bc0d2a316cc
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2473-974X
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-09T07:49:24Z
publishDate 2019-04-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series OTO Open
spelling doaj.art-147a076caf0d43cf9f983bc0d2a316cc2023-12-03T02:08:41ZengWileyOTO Open2473-974X2019-04-01310.1177/2473974X19844993Tracheostomy Care Education for the Nonsurgical First Responder: A Needs-Based Assessment and Quality Improvement InitiativeKinneri Mehta MD0Marissa Schwartz MD1Todd E. Falcone MD2Katherine R. Kavanagh MD3Division of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut, USADivision of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut, USADivision of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut, USAConnecticut Children’s Medical Center, Hartford, Connecticut, USAObjectives To perform a needs-based assessment for tracheostomy care education for nonsurgical first responders in the hospital setting and to implement and assess the efficacy of a targeted tracheostomy educational program. Methods A prospective observational study conducted between October 2017 and May 2018 including emergency medicine (EM) residents, internal medicine (IM) residents, and intensive care unit (ICU) advanced practice providers at 2 tertiary hospitals. Needs-based assessments were conducted, leading to specialty specific curricula. One-hour educational sessions included didactics and case-based simulation. A pre- and posttest objective knowledge quiz and self-assessment were administered, and a posttest was repeated at 6 months. Results There were 85 participants (13 ICU, 40 EM, 32 IM). Significant improvement ( P < .05) in mean objective knowledge score was seen across all groups between pre- and postintervention assessments with relative but not significant improvement at 6 months. There were significant increases in comfort level from pre- to postintervention. At 6-month follow-up, comfort level remained significantly increased for the majority of questions for the EM group and for select questions for IM and ICU advanced practice provider groups. Discussion Nonsurgeons are often first responders to critical airway situations yet receive limited formal education regarding tracheostomy. We demonstrated improvement in knowledge and comfort after a targeted educational module for tracheostomy care and management. Implications for Practice Although tracheostomy care is multidisciplinary, specialty-specific education may provide a more relevant foundation on which to build skills. Prompt and effective management of tracheostomy emergencies by first responders may improve patient safety and reduce mortality.https://doi.org/10.1177/2473974X19844993
spellingShingle Kinneri Mehta MD
Marissa Schwartz MD
Todd E. Falcone MD
Katherine R. Kavanagh MD
Tracheostomy Care Education for the Nonsurgical First Responder: A Needs-Based Assessment and Quality Improvement Initiative
OTO Open
title Tracheostomy Care Education for the Nonsurgical First Responder: A Needs-Based Assessment and Quality Improvement Initiative
title_full Tracheostomy Care Education for the Nonsurgical First Responder: A Needs-Based Assessment and Quality Improvement Initiative
title_fullStr Tracheostomy Care Education for the Nonsurgical First Responder: A Needs-Based Assessment and Quality Improvement Initiative
title_full_unstemmed Tracheostomy Care Education for the Nonsurgical First Responder: A Needs-Based Assessment and Quality Improvement Initiative
title_short Tracheostomy Care Education for the Nonsurgical First Responder: A Needs-Based Assessment and Quality Improvement Initiative
title_sort tracheostomy care education for the nonsurgical first responder a needs based assessment and quality improvement initiative
url https://doi.org/10.1177/2473974X19844993
work_keys_str_mv AT kinnerimehtamd tracheostomycareeducationforthenonsurgicalfirstresponderaneedsbasedassessmentandqualityimprovementinitiative
AT marissaschwartzmd tracheostomycareeducationforthenonsurgicalfirstresponderaneedsbasedassessmentandqualityimprovementinitiative
AT toddefalconemd tracheostomycareeducationforthenonsurgicalfirstresponderaneedsbasedassessmentandqualityimprovementinitiative
AT katherinerkavanaghmd tracheostomycareeducationforthenonsurgicalfirstresponderaneedsbasedassessmentandqualityimprovementinitiative