Simulated emergency department procedures with minimal monetary investment: cricothyrotomy simulator.

INTRODUCTION: Existing patient simulators require the imagination, suspension of disbelief, and often verbal cuing to mitigate their lack of fidelity for some procedures. This limitation can reduce their utility as a mode for evaluation of students' procedural skill and procedural competence. This article outlines the materials and methods for making a simulated sheep trachea holder, which enhances existing simulation modalities and augments the interface between device and learner. This simple addition increases the fidelity of low fidelity procedural trainers. METHODS: A sheep trachea holder was created and presented to attending Emergency Medicine physician-educators at Evanston Northwestern Healthcare as an adjunct for procedural training. The materials and methods for making the simulated sheep trachea holder are outlined in this article. RESULTS: The limiting factor of production is access to the foam and silicone used to make the simulator. The sheep trachea holder has been reproduced twice, features a washable exterior, and is used biweekly as a teaching tool for the cricothyrotomy skill. CONCLUSIONS: The homemade simulated sheep trachea holder is a safer and better-received alternative to our previous educational modality.