Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Residents’ Perception of Simulation Training in Four Romanian Centres

INTRODUCTION: Simulation training offers an opportunity to educate anaesthesia and intensive care (AIC) residents safely. At present, it is not yet a mandatory part of residency curriculum. The aim of the study was to evaluate the residents’ perception of the inclusion of simulation-based training in the Romanian AIC residency program. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Romanian AlCs in anaesthesia and intensive care from four training centres completed a twenty-question survey regarding their views on simulation during their residency training. Residents were divided into junior, in the first three years, or senior groups, in the last two years of residency training. The questionnaire included Likert-scale multiple-choice, open-ended, and “yes” or “no”questions regarding simulator learning, the frequency of simulation sessions, and the value of the simulation sessions in improving practice, skills or teamwork. The open-ended questions, asked which were the respondents’ preferred topics to be included in simulation sessions. RESULTS: Fifty-six percent of residents completed and returned the questionnaire. Ninety-eight percent of them considered simulation-learning useful once a month or every three months especially in the first two years of training. All residents thought simulation sessions would improve their skills, communication abilities, and teamwork. Senior residents paid more attention to clinical scenarios (p=0.007), haemodynamic monitoring (p=0.017) and mechanical ventilation (p=0.004) as compared to juniors. All residents considered difficult airway management, and cardiac life support to be very important issues to be included in simulation sessions. CONCLUSION: The survey demonstrated that simulation-based training should play a greater role and eventually became compulsory in training program in AIC academic centres.