International Journal of Healthcare Simulation

Background:

Within the 6-year Specialist Anaesthesiology Training (SAT) programme overseen by the College of Anaesthesiologists of Ireland (CAI), there is now an option for trainees to take up to 12-month unaccredited professional or personal leave after years 2 and 4. There is also a cohort of trainees taking academic leave, maternity leave or other leave. There is growing recognition in the CAI and among other Training Bodies that returning to work following a period of absence can be daunting. It requires a comprehensive support package to help with the readjustment to the clinical and training environment, and rebuild confidence ^[1]. The CAI Committee of Anaesthesiology Trainees (CAT) has also made this recommendation after running a voluntary survey among its members.

Aims:

A CAI steering group was convened to design a Return to Programme (RTP) support package, with the following objectives:

To develop a strategy for managing a return to anaesthesia following a period of absence

To provide a blended content learning package aiming to ease SAT back into the clinical environment

To rebuild confidence with/among the peers in a safe simulation environment

To improve trainees’ well-being and patient safety by refamiliarization with anaesthesia guidelines and emergency algorithms

Method/design:

It has been agreed that the RTP syllabus must reflect all eight domains of the Irish Medical Council (IMC) domains of Good Professional Practice, as in the following: Patient Safety and Quality of Patient Care; Relating to Patients; Communication and Interpersonal Skills; Collaboration and Teamwork; Management (including Self-Management); Scholarship; Professionalism, and Clinical Skills ^[2]. This is to be achieved by providing a blended content support package consisting of online refresher lectures in core clinical areas (e.g. perioperative care, paediatric and obstetric anaesthesia, and intensive care medicine), lectures focussed on trainees’ well-being and human resources matters, and face-to-face simulation sessions.

Implementation:

The lectures have been recorded and embedded in the CAI e-learning platform. A list of simulation scenarios reflecting the most common anaesthesiology emergencies has been selected and tailored towards the needs of the destination training sites and experience level. A first course will take place prior to trainees recommencing their clinical role in July 2021. On successful evaluation, it is aimed to conduct the RTP every 6 months going forward.