Enhancing the fidelity of surgical cricothyroidotomy training
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A mixed methods study investigating whether external noise and startle stressors enhance the fidelity of table top surgical cricothyroidotomy training.
IRAS ID
253576
Contact name
Peter Groom
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust`
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 28 days
Research summary
Statistically, over the whole of their professional career, an anaesthetist maybe required to perform an emergency cricothyroidotomy to save a patient’s life only once. This rare, but time critical emergency, involves cutting the front of a patient’s neck, below the ‘Adam’s apple’, to insert a breathing tube into the windpipe. This is a really stressful experience for the anaesthetist.
Because it is so rare, anaesthetists must train regularly to acquire and hone the skills necessary to do it confidently and competently. A widespread form of training involves anaesthetists learning by cutting a manikin that does not realistically resemble a human neck. We want to investigate whether sound effects (the sounds of monitors alarming and anxious staff) and simulated bleeding can increase the realism of this training by making it more stressful for the anaesthetist.
Cortisol is a hormone the levels of which are increased by stress, we will measure the cortisol levels in anaesthetists’ saliva before and after the training. We will also investigate the anaesthetists’ perceived stress by asking them to complete a questionnaire and speak to a psychologist after the training
REC name
London - Surrey Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/LO/0601
Date of REC Opinion
28 May 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion