Anesthesiology Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Anesthesiology, including details on clinical anesthesiology, evidence based practice, techniques.

A Scottish National Prospective Study of airway management skills in new-start SHOs.

Whymark C, Moores A, MacLeod AD

Western Infirmary, Glasgow, UK. cwhymark@doctors.org.uk

BACKGROUND: There is increasing concern about the ability of junior anaesthetists to manage the airway correctly and alarm that this may lead to adverse events. METHODS: We monitored the airway management skills of new-start anaesthetists in Scotland for 3 months. RESULTS: Experience with the laryngeal mask airway was satisfactory but there was wide variation in numbers of facemask and tracheal intubation cases. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend that facemask anaesthesia is given a high priority in the formative months and that a target number of intubations should be carried out before providing anaesthesia without direct supervision.

Published 7 September 2006 in Br J Anaesth, 97(4): 473-5.
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