Authors (including presenting author) :
Chu CK (1), Mak SK (1), Lee YM (1), Chung SHC (1), Liu LC (1), Yeung WK (1), Lee SHD (1), Wong NK (1), Cheung KFM (1), Ng YM (1), Tsang WY (1), Kei HY (1)
Affiliation :
(1) Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Kwong Wah Hospital
Introduction :
In 2003, overwhelming outbreak of SARS-CoV had paralyzed entire HK health care system. 386 healthcare professionals in HK were infected and eight succumbed. In 2019, COVID-19 outbreak invaded health care system worldwide again. In early 2020, 3387 healthcare professionals in Wuhan had been infected. That was an alarming signal. Therefore, one of the emphases of pandemic preparedness in HK should be put on avoiding COVID-19 outbreak among healthcare professionals. Emergency intubation was known as high-risk procedures. Indeed, training in pandemic clinical environments was prone to infections and stressful for healthcare professionals. In recent decades, simulation training allowed healthcare professionals to have skill enhancement in safe environments. Healthcare professionals were facilitated to have critical analysis on pandemic crises so that the flow of care and resource allocation were optimized in urgent situations. In light of that, the Department of Medicine and Geriatrics of KWH initiated a cross-disciplinary simulation drills on emergency intubations for highly infectious patients in isolation ward, to empower healthcare personnel to combat against the viruses at an early stage.
Objectives :
●To avoid COVID-19 outbreaks among ward staff related to high-risk procedures ●To increase perception of competence and preparedness of staff on emergency intubations for highly infectious patients with a safe training environment ●To improve cross-disciplinary communication when performing high-risk procedures for infectious patients
Methodology :
●3 sections of cross-disciplinary simulation drills on emergency intubation for infectious patients were organized in the isolation ward. ●Simulation scenarios were adopted to achieve experiential learning. ●Anesthesiologists, physicians, nurses, Infection Control Team and Central Nursing Department (CND) were involved. ●45 healthcare personnel from different departments attended simulation drills. 12 nurses participated in simulation scenarios. Other attendants became observers and joined discussions in debriefing sections. ●A 5-point Likert Scale Questionnaire assessed experience of nurses and reviewed effectiveness of simulation drills.
Result & Outcome :
●From 2/2020-11/2021, 109 resuscitation and emergency intubation for infectious patients performed in KWH isolation ward in total. No COVID-19 outbreaks happened among staff.
●50% nurses agreed and 40% strongly agreed the Cross-disciplinary simulation drills enhanced perception of competence on emergency intubations for highly infectious patients
●60% nurses agreed and 30% strongly agreed the Cross-disciplinary simulation drills enhanced perception of preparedness on emergency intubations for highly infectious patients
●40% nurses agreed and 50% strongly agreed Cross-disciplinary simulation drills provided safe environment for staff to practice high-risk procedures.
●60% nurses agreed and 20% strongly agreed Cross-disciplinary simulation drills improved communication among nurses, physicians and anesthesiologists in emergency situations.
●After acknowledged effectiveness of simulation drills, CND in KWH introduced more regular training programs related to resuscitation, airway enhancement and ventilator circuit management for infectious patients.
