Current opinion in anaesthesiology
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Anesthesiologists work in a complex environment that is intolerant of errors. Cognitive errors, or errors in thought processes, are mistakes that a clinician makes despite 'knowing better'. Several new studies provide a better understanding of how to manage risk while making better decisions. ⋯ Effective decision-making and risk management reduce the risk of adverse events in the operating room. This article proposes several new decision-making and risk assessment tools for use in the operating room.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Dec 2012
ReviewNausea and vomiting after surgery: it is not just postoperative.
The purpose of this review is to highlight postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), to discuss why it occurs, how it might be prevented and then how it can be treated. ⋯ It is easy to turn the vapourizer dial, but that is a part of the problem. Not everyone reacts the same to drugs. Although PDNV is not as well characterized as PONV, at the very least, avoid an anaesthetic that may make PONV/PDNV worse and be aggressive in treating the problem.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Dec 2012
ReviewBlended learning in anesthesia education: current state and future model.
Educators in anesthesia residency programs across the country are facing a number of challenges as they attempt to integrate blended learning techniques in their curriculum. Compared with the rest of higher education, which has made advances to varying degrees in the adoption of online learning anesthesiology education has been sporadic in the active integration of blended learning. The purpose of this review is to discuss the challenges in anesthesiology education and relevance of the Universal Design for Learning framework in addressing them. ⋯ This review examines recent literature pertaining to this field, both in the realm of higher education in general and medical education in particular, and proposes the application of a comprehensive learning model that is new to anesthesiology education and relevant to its goals of promoting self-directed learning.
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Patient safety is topical today. Competent professionals are necessary to keep anesthesia care safe, and teaching trainees is an important element in safety work. The purpose of this review is to present the latest research on anesthesia training and trainees. ⋯ Much research about anesthesia training concerns simulator training and assessment of trainees' competence. More research is needed to understand the process of learning anesthesia.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Dec 2012
ReviewDilemmas in biomedical research publication: are we losing the plot?
Some recent and very controversial developments in the sphere of scientific publication, with significant implications for biomedical research, are posing a significant threat to traditional publication models. Many of these developments appear to be the result of a vicious circle that has developed from publication pressure on researchers, corporate financial exploitation of those pressures, and an apparent perception that individual and institutional reputations are to be promoted at all cost. ⋯ In many different respects, biomedical research publication is now in an unprecedented state of flux. Traditional models are being strongly challenged, probably with good reason, and alternative models of both funding and delivery need to be settled upon with some urgency. While individuals, institutions and corporate bodies who resist the current evolution may find themselves in line for extinction, at the same time it is important for the entire 'industry' to revert to some more traditional values and not allow self-interest to prevail.