Upper Airway Assessment During Conscious Sedation Training Programs For Healthcare Professionals At The Clinical Simulation Center, Qassim University Medical City

Abstract

Background: Conscious sedation is a state of controlled depression of consciousness. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a conscious sedation training program delivered by the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Department at the Qassim University Medical City Clinical Simulation Centre (QUMC-CSC), Saudi Arabia, by comparing participants' anatomical knowledge and clinical skill levels before and after the training and assessing their satisfaction. Methods: A total of 173 participants attended the workshops, including physicians (n=30), dentists (n=30), nurses (n=65), hospital technicians (n=9), respiratory therapists (n=3), and students (n=36). The study employed a pre-test/post-test design to evaluate knowledge acquisition, a perception survey to assess participant satisfaction and course applicability, and a SWOT analysis via a focus group to explore participants' experiences. Results: The mean post-test scores for all specialties were higher than the mean pre-test scores. This improvement was statistically significant for both male and female nurses and students, but only for female physicians and dentists. Of 173 participants, 117 (67.6%) completed the satisfaction survey, reporting high satisfaction and perceived enhancement of their clinical experience. Conclusions: The program successfully increased participants' understanding and confidence in practicing conscious sedation in a safe, simulated environment and highlighted the value of integrating basic anatomical knowledge of the upper respiratory tract with training to improve performance during clinical sessions. Participants acknowledged the value of the experience for consolidating knowledge and identifying learning opportunities.