Acquisition of skills in critical emergency medicine: An experimental study on the SIAARTI Academy CREM experience

BACKGROUND: In 2019 the SIAARTI developed a seven-days course for residents, focused on critical emergency medicine (CREM) in a hostile environment, that grounds on simulation-based education and training with hands-on simulation, high-fidelity simulators and part-task trainers. This project aimed to evaluate the efficacy of this course in comparison to traditional learning programs in term of technical (TS) and non-technical (NTS) skills. We assessed the improvement in TS and NTS over time, and the ability to involve trainees in corporate activities. METHODS: Three-hundred and twenty-seven trainees completed the study. Trainees were allocated into three groups: those who joined the SIAARTI-Academy-CREM course and received a study kit (SA-kit, N.=124), those who received only a study kit (kit, N.=108), and control (N.=95). Eighty-five tests were administered to investigate skills at three time-points: T0 (baseline), T1 (post-training/kit), and T2 (four months later). RESULTS: TS differed among groups (P<0.0001), with the highest points in the SA-kit group at T1 (post-hoc comparison, P<0.0001 vs. kit; P<0.0001 vs. control), and T2 (post-hoc comparison, P<0.0001 vs. kit; P<0.0001 vs. control). NTS differed among groups (P=0.0406), with the highest points in the SA-kit group at T1 (post-hoc comparison, P=0.0337 vs. kit; P=0.0416 vs. control), and T2 (post-hoc comparison, P=0.0073 vs. kit; P=0.3308 vs. control). SA-kit group significantly improved TS (P<0.0001) and NTS (P=0.0006) over time. Involvement in corporate activities of SA-kit was significantly higher than kit and control (P=0.0012). CONCLUSIONS: SA-kit improvement in TS and NTS was higher than kit and control and was maintained over time. Participation in this course implemented participation in corporate activities among attendees.