High-Fidelity Simulation Training for Nurse Anesthetists Managing Malignant Hyperthermia: A Quality Improvement Project

Background: Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a low-frequency, high-impact event that many certified registered nurse anesthetists may be unprepared to manage due to limited clinical experience. Method: A pretest, posttest, repeated-measures design was used to evaluate whether certified registered nurse anesthetists’ MH knowledge improved immediately after and three months after high-fidelity simulation training. Technical and nontechnical skills were assessed during simulation training. Results: After implementation, mean MH knowledge scores and self-confidence levels remained higher at three-month postimplementation than pretest scores. Conclusion: MH simulation training increased participant's knowledge and self-confidence needed to manage an MH crisis.

Duke Scholars

Author Virginia Chris Simmons School of Nursing