Validation of simulated difficult bag-mask ventilation as a training and evaluation method for first-year internal medicine house staff.

INTRODUCTION: The past decade has witnessed the increased use of patient simulation in medical training as a method to teach complex bedside skills. Although effective bag-mask ventilation (BMV) is a critical part of airway management, the quality of training in this skill has been questioned.

METHODS: First-year internal medicine house staff (novices) were used to evaluate a computerized patient simulator as a tool to teach difficult BMV. A novice group and an expert group (certified registered nurse anesthetists and anesthesiologists) were tested to validate the simulator's ability to distinguish between these 2 skill levels.

RESULTS: The difference between the novice and expert groups in the ability to perform difficult BMV was statistically significant (P < 0.0001). Brief training for novices led to a 100% pass rate and competence as measured by the simulator. Simulation training was effective in increasing the ability to ventilate a simulated difficult-to-ventilate patient (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that this computerized patient simulator was validated as a simulation model for teaching difficult BMV and differentiating skill levels in BMV. Using the simulator with brief training on difficult BMV allowed new internal medicine house staff to successfully ventilate a simulated difficult patient.