A Scottish National Prospective Study of airway management skills in new-start SHOs

Abstract

Background. There is increasing concern about the ability of junior anaesthetists to manage the airway correctly and alarm that this may lead to adverse events. Methods. We monitored the airway management skills of new-start anaesthetists in Scotland for 3 months. Results. Experience with the laryngeal mask airway was satisfactory but there was wide variation in numbers of facemask and tracheal intubation cases. Conclusions. We recommend that facemask anaesthesia is given a high priority in the formative months and that a target number of intubations should be carried out before providing anaesthesia without direct supervision. © Copyright 2006 Oxford University Press.