44 It’s All About That Trach! Using a Modified Delphi Approach to Developing Pediatric Tracheostomy Teaching Tools

Abstract

Abstract Primary Subject area Medical Education Background Pediatric tracheostomy care is intimidating; regular and emergency care are critical skills. Tracheostomy care training is vital for pediatric patients who have multiple people involved in their care and are fully dependent on their tracheostomy tubes for breathing. An Alberta team is developing an informational tool, the “Tracheostomy Journey”, to help families and health care providers understand and communicate clearly about pediatric tracheostomy. A needs assessment identified consistent, universal, multimodal teaching and communication tools for families, trainees, and hospital and home care providers as a primary need. Consistency in training will also improve communication between caregivers and families. Objectives The main objective of this study was to develop shareable pediatric tracheostomy care and management teaching materials for health care professionals and families. The goals of such information are to ensure checks and balances, provide universal, consistent and cohesive teaching content to all caregivers, set expectations, and promote effective communication. Design/Methods A modified Delphi approach provided structured development of training modules using existing diverse teaching materials. Participants were asked to focus on safe, consistent pediatric tracheostomy care. Two components were to: 1) Update and consolidate basic hospital discharge checklists for families; 2) Formalize current unstructured emergency training while building new resources to teach families, staff, and trainees through goal-oriented simulations. Results We consolidated 7 Home Care tracheostomy care checklists and developed 24 simulations to teach specific care skills, incorporating input from multiple stakeholders to consolidate and unify content. Participants included primary care and subspecialty physicians (Respirology, Otolaryngology, Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care), home care, nursing, respiratory therapy, trainees, and families. The teaching materials emphasize inclusive, acceptable skill and confidence-building as well as mastery. Each module includes a scenario, preceptor script, and debriefing materials. Scripting is designed for future video adaptation, to allow review. Pilot evaluation with trainees included knowledge and confidence assessment before and after training, after training specifically addressed the question: “Do they address the goal?”. Conclusion Training materials were developed by an expert team via a modified Delphi process and met the intended goals of being accessible, acceptable, inclusive, and effective at teaching and consolidating the skills of those involved in pediatric tracheostomy care. These tools are ready to employ and are anticipated to improve teaching and communication for families and trainees caring for children with tracheostomy.