Survey of change in practice following simulation-based training in crisis management.

We investigated the long-term effects on clinical practice of a simulation-based course in anaesthesia crisis management. A questionnaire was posted to all anaesthetists who had attended a course in the preceding year. The response rate was 69% (66/96). The crisis management course was valued highly by respondents, who perceive a change in practice as a result of the training. This change in practice was not limited to the specific clinical events simulated in the course, but applied to a wide range of events and to routine practice. The high rate of subsequent critical events reported in the survey supports the need for training in this area. This survey suggests that simulation-based training in crisis management is an effective form of continuing medical education for anaesthetists.