Simulation model for tracheotomy education for primary health-care providers.

Objectives:We performed this study to evaluate the competency of health-care providers managing patients with tracheotomies, and assess the need for, and efficacy of, a multidisciplinary educational program incorporating patient simulation.Methods:The prospective observational study included 87 subjects who manage patients with tracheotomies within a tertiary-care hospital. The subjects completed self-assessment questionnaires and objective multiple-choice tests before and after attending a comprehensive educational course using patient simulation. The outcome measurements included pre-course and post-course questionnaire and test scores, as well as observational data collected during recorded patient simulation sessions.Results:Before the education and simulation, the subjects reported an average comfort level of 3.3 on a 5-point Likert scale across 10 categories in the questionnaire, which improved to 4.4 after the training (p < 0.0001). The subjects’ mean scores improved from 56% on the pre-course test...