Schwid HA, Rooke GA, Ross BK, Michalowski P
Teaching & Learning in Medicine 2001; 13: 92-96

The use of the inexpensive Anesoft screen-based Anesthesia Simulator program has been shown to improve response to simulated emergencies in a mannequin-based simulator.

In this study 31 first year clinical anesthesia residents were asked to prepare for anesthetic emergencies with either a handout or the Anesoft Anesthesia Simulator program.  Performance on 4 standardized mannequin-based simulated anesthetic emergencies were videotaped and scored by two evaluators who were blinded as to subject group.

Participants who used the Anesoft Anesthesia Simulator program scored significantly higher (mean 52.6 ± 9.9 [SD] of 95 possible points) than participants that reviewed using the handout (43.4 ± 5.9); p<.004.

This study supports the use of the Anesoft Anesthesia Simulator to train for anesthetic emergencies.  Improvement in performance demonstrated in the mannequin-based simulator is predictive of improved response during a real anesthetic critical incident.