MedEdPORTAL (Nov 2014)
Advanced Airway Management Classroom Course
Abstract
Abstract Introduction Airway management is an important skill for all medical trainees to practice, particularly within difficult scenarios. To address this, we created this advanced airway management course for introducing advanced airway techniques to medical students, residents and fellows. It can also be used for faculty and practicing physicians. It is particularly well suited for senior residents who have already been introduced to basic airway management concepts. Methods This course consists of four didactic presentations, five difficult airway small-group case scenarios, and a reading/reference list. Presentation topics include advanced surgical airway techniques, blind insertion airway devices, video laryngoscopy, and fiberoptic intubation. These didactic presentations can be used individually, together, or in combination with other material in this airway education series. The small-group cases allow learners to practice managing the airway in a patient in difficult scenarios: critical illness, pregnancy, having a seizure, an older adult, and morbidly obese. Source documents for both students and instructor (with answer key) are included. Results We have used this curriculum in its entirety, and its individual components, for the education of residents, medical students, and fellows at a large academic center Emergency Medicine residency training program over the course of 5 years. We dedicate 8-12 hours during 1 month every year to deliver this airway series, and all aspects of this curriculum have been very popular at our training program among learners and instructors alike. Surveys regarding the effectiveness of these learning tools have yielded positive results from learners. Discussion This course material can be implemented as an independent portion of a medical curriculum or in combination with other material. It has been designed for classroom implementation but it works well in a lab setting as well. Each presentation can be delivered at a lab skills station to provide a step-by-step guide for advanced airway procedures.
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