• Pooyan Sekhavati, Tristan Wild, Ingrid D P C Martinez, Pierre-Marc Dion, Michael Woo, Reva Ramlogan, Sylvain Boet, Risa Shorr, and Yuqi Gu.
• Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
• Anaesthesia. 2025 Jan 6.

IntroductionUltrasound-guided regional anaesthesia enhances pain control, patient outcomes and lowers healthcare costs. However, teaching this skill effectively presents challenges with current training methods. Simulation-based medical education offers advantages over traditional methods. However, the use of instructional design features in ultrasound-guided regional anaesthesia simulation training has not been defined. This systematic review aimed to identify and evaluate the prevalence of various instructional design features in ultrasound-guided regional anaesthesia simulation training and their correlation with learning outcomes using a modified Kirkpatrick model.MethodsA comprehensive literature search was conducted including studies from inception to August 2024. Eligibility criteria included randomised controlled trials; controlled before-and-after studies; and other experimental designs focusing on ultrasound-guided regional anaesthesia simulation training. Data extraction included study characteristics; simulation modalities; instructional design features; and outcomes.ResultsOf the 2023 articles identified, 62 met inclusion criteria. Common simulation modalities included live-model scanning and gel phantom models. Instructional design features such as the presence of expert instructors, repetitive practice and multiple learning strategies were prevalent, showing significant improvements across multiple outcome levels. However, fewer studies assessed behaviour (Kirkpatrick level 3) and patient outcomes (Kirkpatrick level 4).DiscussionUltrasound-guided regional anaesthesia simulation training incorporating specific instructional design features enhances educational outcome; this was particularly evident at lower Kirkpatrick levels. Optimal combinations of instructional design features for higher-level outcomes (Kirkpatrick levels 3 and 4) remain unclear. Future research should standardise outcome measurements and isolate individual instructional design features to better understand their impact on clinical practice and patient safety.© 2025 The Author(s). Anaesthesia published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association of Anaesthetists.

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