Understanding the Cognition and Decision Making of Community Anesthesiologists

Study Summary

The investigators are interested in studying why experienced clinicians make specific decisions regarding the monitoring of patients' physiological states and why clinicians might make decisions that are contrary to current best practices or known evidence. More generally, the program objective is to refine and validate a novel methodology to delineate clinicians' decision-making strategies. More specifically, the investigators will study the decision to reverse neuromuscular blockade at the end of an anesthetic. This clinical decision will be studied in this project because: 1) it has been well documented that a substantial percentage of practitioners do not follow best practices; 2) the variables are relatively circumscribed and well described; and 3) it can be framed as a binary decision. The investigators propose to conduct an observational mixed-methods study developing and using clinical vignettes and cognitive interviews to better understand the decision-making approaches and preferences of clinically active anesthesia providers with regard to their decision-making during clinical anesthesia cases. After developing clinical vignettes and related questions, the investigators will first obtain detailed demographic and clinical practice variables from the participants via a survey. Participants will then review multiple vignettes that present different clinical situations that focus on decisions to reverse neuromuscular blockade and/or extubate the patient. Each participant will provide their decisions for each vignette. The investigators will then conduct an audiotaped interview, using cognitive task analysis methods, to ascertain the factors that played a role in these decisions.

Primary Outcome

Percent correct on 9-item test of evidence-based knowledge about neuromuscular monitoring and reversal

Conditions Studied

Study Locations (1)