Simulation Training in the Pediatric Tracheostomy and Home Ventilator Population

The investigators propose a prospective randomized control trial evaluating the use of simulation to prepare caregivers for the discharge of children dependent on respiratory technology. All caregivers of children who are (1) inpatient with a newly placed tracheostomy tube and (2) anticipated to start discharge teaching after the first date of Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval will be enrolled, regardless of home ventilator need. Caregivers with prior experience caring for tracheostomies within the last 10 years will be excluded. Estimated sample size is 60 caregivers (trainees) (2 trained caregivers anticipated per child). Trainees must be able to speak and read English.

All trainees will be randomized by child (up to 4 per child) into one of three arms (Figure 1), stratified by the need for invasive home ventilation and randomized in blocks of four. All trainees will complete our current state of education including bedside education provided by Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) or Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nursing staff and a formal classroom-based skills class (either a 'tracheostomy-only' or a 'tracheostomy/home ventilator' class) taught by a Children's Hospital of Wisconsin (CHW) Tracheostomy and Home Ventilator respiratory therapist or durable medical equipment company (DME) respiratory therapist, and an individual scenario-based review of equipment and skills workshop with a CHW Tracheostomy and Home Ventilator Respiratory Therapist.

In addition to the current state of education, the active study group will also undergo highly realistic simulation. This involves the use of a highly realistic tracheostomy mannequin and audiovisual devices which will be used to replicate emergent clinical situations. If home invasive ventilation is anticipated, a home ventilator will be used. The active control will undergo low-fidelity simulation that approximates the highly realistic clinical scenarios except with the use of a low-fidelity doll equipped with a tracheostomy and without the audiovisual inputs. Both active arms will occur in the simulation center or sleep lab and replicate the same clinical situations by the simulation instructor. After the simulation, participants will be debriefed by the instructor, who will use a tape of their session as a teaching tool.

Commonly encountered emergent outpatient problems to be simulated include 1) obstructed tracheostomy tube leading to the need for cardiopulmonary resuscitation; 2) bleeding from the tracheostomy tube; 3) acute desaturation and/or bradycardia; and 4) accidental decannulation. If invasive home ventilation is anticipated, ventilator alarm troubleshooting for high pressure alarms, low minute ventilation alarms, auto-cycling of the ventilator and water in the tubing will be included in the simulation.

All trainees will undergo a teach-back session with a CHW Tracheostomy and Home Ventilator Program respiratory therapist during which essential skills and responses to clinical situations are assessed. If a trainee passes this session, the respiratory therapist has determined that they have met criteria to move onto independent care sessions and the trainees have acquired the trach and home ventilator knowledge to provide care in the home. If a trainee fails this teach-back session, the information failed will be reviewed and the family will repeat the teach-back session until they pass and then move into independent care sessions. Independent care sessions are practical demonstrations of all skills needed to take care of the child at home. Independent care sessions are repeated until all skills have been passed. Teach-back and independent care sessions are part of the current state of education.