Pediatric Anesthesiology Milestones 2.0: An Update, Rationale, and Plan Forward.

Formal training in the subspecialty of pediatric anesthesiology began >60 years ago. Over the years, the duration and clinical work has varied, but what has stayed constant is a mission to develop clinically competent and professionally responsible pediatric anesthesiologists. Since accreditation in 1997, there has been additional guidance by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and greater accountability to the public that we, indeed, are producing competent and professional pediatric anesthesiologists. This has been influenced by the slow evolution from time-based educational curriculum to a competency-based paradigm. As with all ACGME-accredited specialties, education leaders in pediatric anesthesiology first convened in 2014 to design specialty-specific developmental trajectories within the framework of the 6 core competencies, known as milestones, on which fellows were to be tracked during the 1-year fellowship. With 5 years of implementation, and substantial data and feedback, it has become clear that an iterative improvement was necessary to mirror the evolution of the profession. It was evident that the community required brevity and clarity in the next version of the milestones and required additional resources for assessment and faculty development. We describe here the methodology and considerations of our working group, guided by ACGME, in the rewriting of the milestones. We also provide suggestions for implementation and collaboration to support the education and assessment of pediatric anesthesiology fellows across the country.

Where have all the pediatric anesthesiology fellows gone in the USA? Anesthesiology fellowship trends.

BACKGROUND: Recent consternation over the number of unfilled Pediatric Anesthesiology fellowship positions in the United States compelled us to assess the change in the ratio of Pediatric Anesthesiology fellows to the number of graduating anesthesiology residents over the 14-year period between 2008 and 2022. We also sought to report the total ratio of anesthesiology fellows to graduating residents and trends in the annual number of fellowship applicants relative to the number of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited anesthesiology fellowship positions by specialty. METHODS: We used publicly available resources, including ACGME Data Resource Books, National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) data, San Francisco (SF) Match data, and American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) data, to determine the ratio of anesthesiology fellows to graduating anesthesiology residents and to compare the number of fellowship applicants to fellowship positions for Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology, Critical Care Anesthesiology, Obstetric Anesthesiology, Pain Medicine and Pediatric Anesthesiology. RESULTS: Since 2008, the ratio of ACGME-accredited anesthesiology fellows to graduating residents increased from 0.36 in 2008 (2007 residency graduates) to 0.59 in 2022 (2021 residency graduates) and the ratio of Pediatric Anesthesiology fellows to graduating residents remained relatively stable from 0.10 to 0.11. The number of unmatched positions in Pediatric Anesthesiology increased from 17 in 2017 to 86 in 2023, and all ACGME-accredited fellowships had more positions available than applicants in 2023. CONCLUSION: In the USA, while the ratio of Pediatric Anesthesiology fellowship graduates to anesthesiology residency graduates remained relatively constant from 2008 to 2022, this is likely a lagging indicator that has not yet accounted for the recent decrease in fellowship applicants. These findings refute prior estimates for a surplus in Pediatric Anesthesia supply in the USA and have significant implications for the future.

A Consensus-Driven Revision of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Case Log System: Pediatric Anesthesiology Fellowship Education.

BACKGROUND: Clinical experiences, quantified by case logs, are an integral part of pediatric anesthesiology fellowship programs. Accreditation of pediatric anesthesiology fellowships by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and establishment of case log reporting occurred in 1997 and 2009, respectively. The specialty has evolved since then, but the case log system remains largely unchanged. The Pediatric Anesthesiology Program Directors Association (PAPDA) embarked on the development of an evidence-based case log proposal through the efforts of a case log task force (CLTF). This proposal was part of a larger consensus-building process of the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia (SPA) Task Force for Pediatric Anesthesiology Graduate Medical Education. The primary aim of case log revision was to propose an evidence-based, consensus-driven update to the pediatric anesthesiology case log system. METHODS: This study was executed in 2 phases. The CLTF, composed of 10 program directors representing diverse pediatric anesthesiology fellowship programs across the country, utilized evidence-based literature to develop proposed new categories. After an approval vote by PAPDA membership, this proposal was included in the nationally representative, stakeholder-based Delphi process executed by the SPA Task Force on Graduate Medical Education. Thirty-seven participants engaged in this Delphi process, during which iterative rounds of surveys were used to select elements of the old and newly proposed case logs to create a final revision of categories and minimums for updated case logs. The Delphi methodology was used, with a two-thirds agreement as the threshold for inclusion. RESULTS: Participation in the Delphi process was robust, and consensus was almost completely achieved by round 2 of 3 survey rounds. Participants suggested that total case minimums should increase from 240 to 300 (300-370). Participants agreed (75.86%) that the current case logs targeted the right types of cases, but requirements were too low (82.75%). They also agreed (85.19%) that the case log system and minimums deserved an update, and that this should be used as part of a competency-based assessment in pediatric anesthesia fellowships (96%). Participants supported new categories and provided recommended minimum numbers. CONCLUSIONS: The pediatric anesthesiology case log system continues to have a place in the assessment of fellowship programs, but it requires an update. This Delphi process established broad support for new categories and benchmarked minimums to ensure the robustness of fellowship programs and to better prepare the pediatric anesthesiology workforce of the future for independent clinical practice.

A Consensus-Driven Approach to Redesigning Graduate Medical Education: The Pediatric Anesthesiology Delphi Study.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric anesthesiology fellowship education has necessarily evolved since Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accreditation in 1997. Advancements in perioperative and surgical practices, emerging roles in leadership, increasing mandates by accreditation and certification bodies, and progression toward competency-based education-among other things-have created pressure to enrich the current pediatric anesthesiology training system. The Society for Pediatric Anesthesia (SPA) formed a Task Force for Pediatric Anesthesiology Graduate Medical Education that included key leaders and subject matter experts from the society. A key element of the Task Force's charge was to identify curricular and evaluative enhancements for the fellowship program of the future. METHODS: The Task Force executed a nationally representative, stakeholder-based Delphi process centered around a fundamental theme: "What makes a pediatric anesthesiologist?" to build consensus among a demographically varied and broad group of anesthesiologists within the pediatric anesthesiology community. A total of 37 demographically and geographically varied pediatric anesthesiologists participated in iterative rounds of open- and close-ended survey work between August 2020 and July 2021 to build consensus on the current state, known deficiencies, anticipated needs, and strategies for enhancing national educational offerings and program requirements. RESULTS: Participation was robust, and consensus was almost completely achieved by round 2. This work generated a compelling Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis that suggests more strengths and opportunities in the current Pediatric Anesthesiology Graduate Medical Education program than weaknesses or threats. Stakeholders agreed that while fellows matriculate with some clinical knowledge and procedural gaps, a few clinical gaps exist upon graduation. Stakeholders agreed on 8 nonclinical domains and specific fundamental and foundational knowledge or skills that should be taught to all pediatric anesthesiology fellows regardless of career plans. These domains include (1) patient safety, (2) quality improvement, (3) communication skills, (4) supervision skills, (5) leadership, (6) medical education, (7) research basics, and (8) practice management. They also agreed that a new case log system should be created to better reflect modern pediatric anesthesia practice. Stakeholders further identified the need for the development of standardized and validated formative and summative assessment tools as part of a competency-based system. Finally, stakeholders noted that significant departmental, institutional, and national organizational support will be necessary to implement the specific recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: A Delphi process achieved robust consensus in assessing current training and recommending future directions for pediatric anesthesiology graduate medical education.

Variations in Demonstrated Emotional Intelligence: Trainee to Experienced Faculty Member.

OBJECTIVES: To identify differences in emotional intelligence (EI)-related competencies between fellows and faculty in a cohort of pediatric critical care physicians. DESIGN: Single-center, cross-sectional observation study. SETTING: Seventy-two-bed multidisciplinary pediatric critical care unit at a quaternary children's hospital (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA). SUBJECTS: Forty-seven critical care physicians, including 19 fellows and 28 faculty members, were assessed. A multidisciplinary team of 83 physicians, nurses, and nurse practitioners contributed to the assessments. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A multirater EI assessment tool (Emotional and Social Competency Inventory 360) was used to measure EI competencies of participating physicians across 12 core competencies. Utilizing a priori scoring definitions, physician EI competencies were classified as strengths or areas for growth. Results were stratified based on provider experience, generating comparisons between fellow and faculty cohorts. Ninety-four percent (177/188) of distributed assessments were completed. Fellow strengths were identified as organization awareness, achievement orientation, and teamwork; areas for growth were influence and emotional self-awareness. Compared with fellows, faculty members demonstrated additional strengths in the domains of adaptability, emotional self-control, coach and mentor, positive outlook, inspirational leadership, and influence. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first characterization of EI competencies among trainees and faculty members using a validated multirater assessment tool. The descriptions of physician EI, based on years of experience, are an important piece of the foundation for future explorations into the advancement of physician EI and effective leadership.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the 2020 pediatric anesthesiology fellowship application cycle: A survey of program directors.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic created a situation with an urgent need to produce a virtual system for the 2019-2020 pediatric anesthesiology fellowship cycle. With fellowship interviews beginning in April 2020, there was minimal time for programs to adapt. Each program rapidly developed its own platform, expectations, materials, and process for interviews-all while under the stress of managing the unfolding patient care, financial, and leadership crises of the unfolding pandemic. AIMS: The aim of this survey-based study was to help identify changes compared with previous traditional cycles, obstacles encountered, and program director attitudes toward this, and possible future, virtual application cycles. We separately report the results of an applicant-based survey about the 2020 virtual interview cycle. METHODS: A 50-question survey was developed utilizing Qualtrics. An anonymous survey link was sent to all pediatric anesthesiology program directors with an invitation for one program leader (either the program director or assistant/associate program director but not both) from each program to complete the voluntary survey. RESULT: Thirty respondents completed the survey, for a response rate of 50% based on the 60 ACGME-approved pediatric anesthesiology fellowships. Compared to previous traditional cycles, almost half of respondents (14/29, 48.3%) reported no increase in the number of applications received, and a majority of respondents (16/29, 55.2%) reported that they offered the same number of interview spots for the year. The virtual interview process appears to have gone smoothly, as a majority of programs reported they never or rarely had technical problems across a number of different domains. Importantly, the majority of respondents were either somewhat satisfied or extremely satisfied (21/28, 75%) with the overall virtual interview process. Given the choice of preferred interview format going forward, half of the respondents (14/28) would offer a combination of traditional and virtual interviews. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that virtual interviews are a viable alternative to traditional interviews and can be completed without many technological complications. PDs were overall satisfied with virtual interviews, despite not having appropriate time to plan and coordinate, and would be interested in continuing this option into the future. There are areas where improvements can be made and with appropriate planning could look to mitigate some of the areas where virtual interviews fall short of traditional interviews. In combination with our previously published survey of applicants (Paediatr Anaesth. 2021;31(9):968-976), these data form a more complete picture of virtual interview best practices going forward.

Procedural Training in Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship: What Are We Teaching and What Do Fellows Need to Learn?

BACKGROUND: Life-saving procedures are rarely performed on children in the emergency department, making it difficult for trainees to acquire the skills necessary to provide proficient resuscitative care for children. Studies have demonstrated that residents in general pediatrics and emergency medicine lack exposure to procedures in the pediatric context, but no studies exist regarding procedural training in pediatric emergency medicine (PEM). Although the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) provides a list of procedures in which PEM fellows must be competent, the relevance of this procedure list to actual PEM practice has not been studied. OBJECTIVES: This study sought to determine whether PEM fellowships currently provide sufficient exposure to the skills most relevant for practicing PEM physicians. STUDY DESIGN: Data were collected via anonymous electronic survey from physicians who graduated from PEM fellowship between 2012 and 2016. Survey items measured respondents' comfort with performing critical procedures, and their perceptions of the necessity of knowing how to perform each procedure in their current practice environment. RESULTS: A total of 133 individuals responded to the survey. Respondents unanimously agreed that 18 of the 36 procedures required by the ACGME are necessary to know in their current practice environment. For the remaining 18 mandated procedures, there was significant disagreement among respondents both as to the necessity of the procedure in current practice and respondents' degree of comfort with performing each procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Among recent PEM fellowship graduates, there is significant variation in comfort with performing ACGME-mandated procedures. These data highlight important opportunities for curricular enhancement in the procedural training of PEM physicians.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the 2020 pediatric anesthesiology fellowship application cycle: A survey of applicants.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic created a situation with an urgent need to produce a virtual system for the 2019-2020 pediatric anesthesiology fellowship cycle. With fellowship interviews beginning in April 2020, there was minimal time to adapt. Each program rapidly developed its own platform, expectations, materials, and process for interviews, and applicants were exposed to a wide array of variability in the process-all while under the stress of interviewing for fellowship positions. AIMS: The aim of this survey-based study was to obtain input from applicants to help guide program decisions about "best practice" for the future for both pediatric anesthesiology and other graduate medical education matches. METHODS: A 28-question survey was developed utilizing Qualtrics. An anonymous link was sent to all pediatric anesthesiology program directors for distribution of the survey link to all recently matched applicants. Incoming fellows who were accepted outside of the match process were also invited to respond. RESULTS: Fifty respondents completed the survey, for a response rate of 30% based on the 167 matched fellowship positions nationwide (50/167). A majority of the respondents reported they felt virtual interviews allowed them to learn the following things equally as well compared with a traditional interview about fellowship programs: salary and benefits, available academic opportunities, available clinical opportunities, clinical schedule of the fellowship, mentorship opportunities, clinical experience and training of the fellowship, and expected work-life balance during fellowship. Respondents report that the most important factors in making their rank list were perceived goodness of fit, desired geographic location, and perception of program leadership. Additionally, respondents ranked the types of information and interactions that they found most helpful to make decisions. All respondents reported the benefit of cost savings compared to a traditional application cycle, with the most commonly reported estimated savings being $3,000-$5,000 per respondent. CONCLUSIONS: These results allow recommendations for "best practices" for virtual interviews to include programs providing an electronic packet of information prior to the interview day, providing dedicated time for applicants to interact with current fellows, providing applicants an understanding of the city/region of the location of the program, and offering a completely optional postinterview visit, when possible. Based on the results of this survey, we recommend that programs continue to offer virtual interviews as a penalty-free option for applicants, even when in-person interviews may be feasible.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the education and wellness of U.S. Pediatric Anesthesiology Fellows.

BACKGROUND: The global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused state-wide shutdowns of elective surgical activities in March and April of 2020 forcing graduate medical education program directors and their trainees in the United States to quickly adapt to new rules and circumstances. AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the current pandemic on pediatric anesthesiology fellow education and wellness nationally in order to guide creation of optimal support systems for fellows during the ongoing pandemic. METHODS: In July 2020, an electronically distributed survey was sent to all United States-based pediatric anesthesiology fellowship program directors who were asked to distribute the survey to all current/graduating fellows. RESULTS: A total of 75 out of 184 pediatric anesthesiology fellows (41%) responded to the survey. Major domains identified include reduction of clinical time, financial impact, mental health/wellness effects, and concerns about the overall quality of the fellowship educational experience. Respondents indicated that the pandemic has led to personal quarantine (and/or illness) leave time (21.3%), changes in finances (42.7%) and career opportunities (37.3%), decreased clinical education/experience (28%), and a dissatisfaction with the modified didactic experience (22.7%). In addition, a majority of respondents (97.3%) experienced increased stressors during this pandemic, including worry for family members (80%), stress due to changes in certifying examinations (76%), and fear of contracting COVID-19 from a patient (72%). CONCLUSION: While the results of this survey are only one snapshot in time during an evolving pandemic, these results highlight important domains where program directors and other departmental leaders might focus limited resources to maximize the educational experiences and overall wellness for pediatric anesthesiology fellows.

Challenging the status quo of scientific presentations.

Scientific presentations, usually given with slide presentation software such as PowerPoint™, are the most common method for disseminating knowledge to students and peers. Unfortunately, many are boring, text-heavy, and bullet point-riddled data dumps, with animations or cartoons that obscure or distract rather than clarify the message. These presentations, which we have all sat through and/or delivered, are often so dull that they are referred to as "death by PowerPoint™." In this paper, the authors intend to impart basic techniques for organizing and communicating information in the most effective, engaging, and actionable ways possible. We focus on three processes: generating ideas and outlining a talk, creating visually appealing uncluttered slides, and delivering an inspiring, practice-changing presentation. We also discuss considerations for a virtual presentation. We believe that even experienced speakers could benefit from reflecting on these recommendations and editing their slide presentations for clarity and simplicity.

Full Finger Reperfusion Time Measured by Pulse Oximeter Waveform Analysis in Children.

OBJECTIVES: Capillary refill time is a noninvasive method to assess tissue perfusion to determine shock status. Capillary refill time is defined as the time required to regain skin color after blanching pressure is applied. Although common methods to measure capillary refill time depend on clinicians' visual assessment, a new approach using a pulse oximeter waveform analysis exists, referred to as full finger reperfusion time. We aim to evaluate reproducibility and validity of the novel full finger reperfusion time measurement using clinicians' visual capillary refill time assessment as a reference standard. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: PICUs and operating suites at a large academic children's hospital. PATIENTS: Ninety-nine children 1-12 years old with various skin color tones. INTERVENTIONS: Each child had 10 measurements, including five full finger reperfusion time and five clinician capillary refill time, alternating second and third digits. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Eighteen children had prolonged capillary refill time (> 2 s) and four children with capillary refill time greater than 3 seconds. Four-hundred eighty-five data pairs were analyzed. Intraclass correlation coefficient of full finger reperfusion time within each patient was 0.76 (95% CI, 0.68-0.83), demonstrating good reproducibility. Correlation coefficient between full finger reperfusion time and clinician capillary refill time was moderate: r = 0.37 (p < 0.0001; 95% CI, 0.29-0.44) for the pairs and r = 0.52 (p < 0.0001; 95% CI, 0.36-0.65) for patient average. Bland-Altman plot showed a consistent difference between full finger reperfusion time and clinician capillary refill time (full finger reperfusion time 1.14 s longer). Weak association was found between force and full finger reperfusion time (ß = -0.033 ± 0.016; 95% CI, -0.065 to -0.0016; p = 0.04), finger thickness (ß = -0.20 ± 0.089; 95% CI, -0.37 to -0.19; p = 0.03), except for color tone (p = 0.31). Finger temperature was associated with full finger reperfusion time (ß = -0.18 ± 0.041; 95% CI, -0.26 to -0.0999; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Full finger reperfusion time demonstrated good reproducibility. Full finger reperfusion time showed moderate correlation with clinician capillary refill time. Full finger reperfusion time was 1.14 seconds longer than capillary refill time. Future studies should focus on the clinical value of full finger reperfusion time as a monitoring device for hemodynamics in critically ill children.

Difficult Bag-Mask Ventilation in Critically Ill Children Is Independently Associated With Adverse Events.

OBJECTIVES: Bag-mask ventilation is commonly used prior to tracheal intubation; however, the epidemiology, risk factors, and clinical implications of difficult bag-mask ventilation among critically ill children are not well studied. This study aims to describe prevalence and risk factors for pediatric difficult bag-mask ventilation as well as its association with adverse tracheal intubation-associated events and oxygen desaturation in PICU patients. DESIGN: A retrospective review of prospectively collected observational data from a multicenter tracheal intubation database (National Emergency Airway Registry for Children) from January 2013 to December 2018. SETTING: Forty-six international PICUs. PATIENTS: Children receiving bag-mask ventilation as a part of tracheal intubation in a PICU. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The primary outcome is the occurrence of either specific tracheal intubation-associated events (hemodynamic tracheal intubation-associated events, emesis with/without aspiration) and/or oxygen desaturation (< 80%). Factors associated with perceived difficult bag-mask ventilation were found using univariate analyses, and multivariable logistic regression identified an independent association between bag-mask ventilation difficulty and the primary outcome. Difficult bag-mask ventilation is reported in 9.5% (n = 1,501) of 15,810 patients undergoing tracheal intubation with bag-mask ventilation during the study period. Difficult bag-mask ventilation is more commonly reported with increasing age, those with a primary respiratory diagnosis/indication for tracheal intubation, presence of difficult airway features, more experienced provider level, and tracheal intubations without use of neuromuscular blockade (p < 0.001). Specific tracheal intubation-associated events or oxygen desaturation events occurred in 40.2% of patients with reported difficult bag-mask ventilation versus 19.8% in patients without perceived difficult bag-mask ventilation (p < 0.001). The presence of difficult bag-mask ventilation is independently associated with an increased risk of the primary outcome: odds ratio, 2.28 (95% CI, 2.03-2.57; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Difficult bag-mask ventilation is reported in approximately one in 10 PICU patients undergoing tracheal intubation. Given its association with adverse procedure-related events and oxygen desaturation, future study is warranted to improve preprocedural planning and real-time management strategies.

Pediatric Airway Management in COVID-19 Patients: Consensus Guidelines From the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia's Pediatric Difficult Intubation Collaborative and the Canadian Pediatric Anesthesia Society.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19]) pandemic has challenged medical systems and clinicians globally to unforeseen levels. Rapid spread of COVID-19 has forced clinicians to care for patients with a highly contagious disease without evidence-based guidelines. Using a virtual modified nominal group technique, the Pediatric Difficult Intubation Collaborative (PeDI-C), which currently includes 35 hospitals from 6 countries, generated consensus guidelines on airway management in pediatric anesthesia based on expert opinion and early data about the disease. PeDI-C identified overarching goals during care, including minimizing aerosolized respiratory secretions, minimizing the number of clinicians in contact with a patient, and recognizing that undiagnosed asymptomatic patients may shed the virus and infect health care workers. Recommendations include administering anxiolytic medications, intravenous anesthetic inductions, tracheal intubation using video laryngoscopes and cuffed tracheal tubes, use of in-line suction catheters, and modifying workflow to recover patients from anesthesia in the operating room. Importantly, PeDI-C recommends that anesthesiologists consider using appropriate personal protective equipment when performing aerosol-generating medical procedures in asymptomatic children, in addition to known or suspected children with COVID-19. Airway procedures should be done in negative pressure rooms when available. Adequate time should be allowed for operating room cleaning and air filtration between surgical cases. Research using rigorous study designs is urgently needed to inform safe practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Until further information is available, PeDI-C advises that clinicians consider these guidelines to enhance the safety of health care workers during airway management when performing aerosol-generating medical procedures. These guidelines have been endorsed by the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia and the Canadian Pediatric Anesthesia Society.

East/West Visiting Scholars in Pediatric Anesthesia Program (ViSiPAP): Developing tomorrow's pediatric anesthesia leaders.

Promoting and retaining junior faculty are major challenges for many medical schools. High clinical workloads often limit time for scholarly projects and academic development, especially in anesthesiology. To address this, we created the East/West Visiting Scholars in Pediatric Anesthesia Program (ViSiPAP). The program's goal is to help "jumpstart" academic careers by providing opportunities for national exposure and recognition through invited lectures and collaborative opportunities. East/West ViSiPAP benefits the participating scholars, the home and hosting anesthesia departments, and pediatric anesthesia fellowship training programs. By fostering a sense of well-being and inclusion in the pediatric anesthesia community, East/West ViSiPAP has the potential to increase job satisfaction, help faculty attain promotion, and reduce attrition. Faculty and trainees are exposed to new expertise and role models. Moreover, ViSiPAP provides opportunities for women and underrepresented in medicine faculty. This program can help develop today's junior faculty into tomorrow's leaders in pediatric anesthesia. We advocate for expanding the concept of ViSiPAP to other institutions in academic medicine.

Development and Usability Testing of the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia Pedi Crisis Mobile Application.

When life-threatening, critical events occur in the operating room, the fast-paced, high-distraction atmosphere often leaves little time to think or deliberate about management options. Success depends on applying a team approach to quickly implement well-rehearsed, systematic, evidence-based assessment and treatment protocols. Mobile devices offer resources for readily accessible, easily updatable information that can be invaluable during perioperative critical events. We developed a mobile device version of the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia 26 Pediatric Crisis paper checklists-the Pedi Crisis 2.0 application-as a resource to support clinician responses to pediatric perioperative life-threatening critical events. Human factors expertise and principles were applied to maximize usability, such as by clustering information into themes that clinicians utilize when accessing cognitive aids during critical events. The electronic environment allowed us to feature optional diagnostic support, optimized navigation, weight-based dosing, critical institution-specific phone numbers pertinent to emergency response, and accessibility for those who want larger font sizes. The design and functionality of the application were optimized for clinician use in real time during actual critical events, and it can also be used for self-study or review. Beta usability testing of the application was conducted with a convenience sample of clinicians at 9 institutions in 2 countries and showed that participants were able to find information quickly and as expected. In addition, clinicians rated the application as slightly above "excellent" overall on an established measure, the Systems Usability Scale, which is a 10-item, widely used and validated Likert scale created to assess usability for a variety of situations. The application can be downloaded, at no cost, for iOS devices from the Apple App Store and for Android devices from the Google Play Store. The processes and principles used in its development are readily applicable to the development of future mobile and electronic applications for the field of anesthesiology.

The Clinical Competency Committee in Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology-Perspectives From Program Directors Around the United States.

The clinical competency committee offers a fellowship program a structured approach to assess the clinical performance of each trainee in a comprehensive fashion This special article examines the structure and function of this important committee in detail. Furthermore, the strategies for the optimal functioning of this committee are also discussed as a way to enhance the overall quality of the fellowship program.

Professionalism in pediatric anesthesiology: Affirmation of a definition based on results of a nationally administered survey of pediatric anesthesiologists.

BACKGROUND: Previously published work established the need for a specialty-specific definition of professionalism in pediatric anesthesiology. That work established a composite definition consisting of 11 domains and their component "defining themes" for professionalism in pediatric anesthesiology. As a next step toward assessing generalizability of our single-center findings, we sought to gain input from a national sample of pediatric anesthesiologists. AIMS: The aim of this study was to establish the construct validity of our previously published multidimensional definition of professionalism in pediatric anesthesiology using a nationally representative sample of pediatric anesthesiologists. METHODS: A survey was distributed via snowball sampling to the leaders of every pediatric anesthesiology fellowship program and pediatric anesthesia department or clinical division in the United States. Survey items were designed to validate individual component themes in the working definition. For affirmed items, the respondent was asked to rate the importance of the item. Respondents were also invited to suggest novel themes to be included in the definition. RESULTS: A total of 216 pediatric anesthesiologists representing a variety of experience levels and practice settings responded to the survey. All 40 themes were strongly supported by the respondents, with the least supported theme receiving 71.6% approval. 92.8% of respondents indicated that the 11 domains previously identified formed a comprehensive list of domains for professionalism in pediatric anesthesiology. Four additional novel themes were suggested by respondents, including wellness/self-care/burnout prevention, political advocacy, justice within a practice organization, and respect for leadership/experienced partners. These are topics for future study. The survey responses also indicated a near-universal agreement that didactic lectures would be ineffective for teaching professionalism. CONCLUSION: This national survey of pediatric anesthesiologists serves to confirm the construct validity of our prior working definition of professionalism in pediatric anesthesiology, and has uncovered several opportunities for further study. This definition can be used for both curriculum and policy development within the specialty.