Cognitive barriers in emergency front of neck airway

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  How do cognitive and affective processes interact with the decision to perform an emergency Front of Neck Airway?

• IRAS ID

  256976

• Contact name

  Lawrence Kidd

• Contact email

  lawrence.kidd@nbt.nhs.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  North Bristol NHS Trust

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 9 months, 0 days

• Research summary

  As anaesthetists, one of our primary roles is maintaining the patient’s airway (i.e. keeping the respiratory passeges open for gas flow) during anaesthesia. This can be achieved by doing simple manoeuvres with our hands, or by using various plastic tubes. Very rarely (1/50,000 anaesthetics) an anaesthetist is unable to either insert one of these tubes or provide oxygen to the patient in any other way (‘Can’t intubate, can’t oxygenate’). These situations, if not resolved will result in brain damage due to harmfully low oxygen levels (hypoxia) or death. The solution to these situations, involves accessing the airway through an incision in the front of the neck (emergency Front of Neck Airway).

  All anaesthetists are taught the practical steps involved, and the procedure itself is relatively easy to perform. Delay in making this decision is often the most common problem, yet very little research has been done examining the actual decision making required to perform this life saving procedure.

  Aims
  • To understand the thought process undergone by professionals needing to perform this task
  • To identify reasons for any delay in making this decision

  An experienced psychologist will carry out confidential semi-structured interviews with individuals whom have performed or attempted this emergency procedure within the past 2 years. The interviews will be recorded and then later analysed to identify potential factors that contribute to the decision-making process and any potential delays. As this could cause distress in some participants, there will be systems in place to identify and support welfare if necessary. The methods employed are standard for this type of research, and are designed to be robust and as reliable as possible.

  It is hoped that the reasons why anaesthetists are reluctant to make this lifesaving decision could be elucidated. In doing so, these factors could be addressed in education and training of the workforce with the ultimate intention of making airway management and therefore anaesthesia safer for all patients.

• REC name

  N/A

• REC reference

  N/A