Evaluation of the Educational Value of Low-Cost Training Model for Emergency Cricothyrotomy

Abstract

Background: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the educational value and students' satisfaction with the hand-made low-cost cricothyrotomy simulation model.

Materials and methods: A low-cost and hand-made model and a high-fidelity model were used to assess the students. The students' knowledge and satisfaction were evaluated using a 10-item checklist and a satisfaction questionnaire, respectively. Medical interns in the present study participated in a two-hour briefing and debriefing session held in the Clinical Skills Training Center by an emergency attending doctor.

Results: Based on the results of data analysis, no significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of gender, age, the month of internship, and last semester's grade (P = .628, .356, .847, and .421, respectively). We also found no significant differences between our groups in terms of the median score of each item in the assessment checklist (P = .838, .736, .805, .172, .439, .823, .243, .950, .812, and .756, respectively). The study groups had no significant difference in the median total scores of the checklist as well (P = .504). Regarding the students' satisfaction, our results showed that interns evaluated their experience of the model as positive (median scores of 4 and 5 out of 5). They also gave the hand-made model a median score of 7 in comparison with the high-fidelity model and 8 out of 10 for its usability.

Conclusion: The study results showed that a low-cost model could be as effective as an expensive high-fidelity model for teaching the necessary knowledge of cricothyrotomy techniques to medical trainees.

Keywords: cricothyrotomy; emergency airway; low-cost simulation; medical student training.