Free Emergency Manual Books Improve Actual Clinical Use During Crisis in China

Introduction Emergency manuals (EM) are widely implemented and effective tools for anesthesiologists and perioperative teams to manage patients during critical events. Team simulation studies have shown that the use of training aids and checklists decreases human error. Previous research has examined the use of EM at hospitals in the United States, but few studies have explored its impact in an international setting. In this paper, we conduct a nationwide survey in China to assess the implementation and effectiveness of EM in clinical settings. Methods Based on the known benefits of using these training aids, we hypothesize that introducing EM will improve team response and reduce errors during crisis management. Copies of the translated Stanford University Operating Room Emergency Handbook were distributed free of charge to hospital anesthesiology departments across China. A survey was then sent out to members of the New Youth Anesthesia Forum, a social networking group of over 100,000 anesthesiologists. Results Respondents (n = 818) were separated based on whether or not they received the free EM (yes = 410; no = 408). Our study found that groups who received the manuals demonstrated significantly higher levels of self-review, group study, simulation training participation, and usage during critical events than groups that did not receive the free books (respectively; p < 0.001). Conclusions These findings strengthen prior evidence suggesting that implementing EM can contribute to the effective management of acute events in a hospital and preoperative setting. Overall, EM can minimize preventable patient risk and benefit anesthesiologists in their clinical practice. These findings indicate that free books can enhance the implementation of emergency manual and actual emergency manual use during critical events.