Simulation in Pediatric Anesthesia

Abstract The field of pediatric anesthesia has become increasingly subspecialized, with unique challenges that demand high-quality teaching and training. Pediatric anesthesia is focused in detail, diverse in surgical and technical complexity, and tolerates an exceedingly small margin for error. With the growth and increased sophistication of pediatric anesthesia, as well as the regionalization of specialty care, anesthesiologists are continually challenged to gain and maintain expertise in the safe and effective delivery of routine and emergency pediatric anesthesia. Simulation-based education provides an experiential learning paradigm for opportunities to improve medical knowledge, technical skills, communication, and decision-making skills for common as well as rare events. In addition, simulation education provides opportunities to assess systems-based problems, improve interdisciplinary team training, ease relocation into facilities, and help adapt to new equipment and technology. Within the past decade, there has been rapid progress and growth of simulation in health care training for purposes of improving patient safety and quality of care. Given that crises in pediatric anesthesia are relatively rare and unpredictable and that anesthesia residents and faculty are expected to be able to successfully manage these situations, simulation-based education can fill these important knowledge gaps. In this chapter, we review how simulation education is applied in pediatric anesthesiology by describing its uses for learning and training in residency and fellowship programs, and its applications to improve patient safety and patient care.