| Abstrakt: |
Background: JAG guidelines recommend that all trainees attend a course in basic colonoscopy skills. The Sheffield course is an intensive 3 day course featuring lectures, seminars, mannequin training and hands on colonoscopy training. Aims: To provide subjective and objective assessments of the learning experience of course delegates. Methods: Trainees were studied immediately before and on completion of the course. We assessed: 1) the trainees' perception of their knowledge in 14 key areas using visual analogue scales, 2) 50 true/false questions (with negative marking), 3) the trainees practical, observational and reporting skills using an observer-blinded assessment of colonoscopy performance on a mannequin. Statistics were analysed using a paired T test. Results: Following the course, trainees' perception of their knowledge and understanding increased with respect to informed consent, indications/contraindications, sedation/monitoring, landmark recognition, loops and resolution, diathermy, hot biopsy and polypectomy, dye spraying and endoscopic mucosal resection (p < 0.05). A less clear improvement was seen in knowledge of bowel preparation (p = 0.08) and endoscopic disinfection (p = 0.06). There was no change in scores in 3 interventional techniques not taught on the course. True/false test scores improved from 22 (14-35) to 36 (23-42), p < 0.05. In addition, the quality of the withdrawal technique improved in all trainees and withdrawal time more than doubled (4m 16s (1m59s-7m19s) to 8m58s (6m36s-11m28s, p < 0.05). All significant pathology, missed by some before the course, was detected on retesting. Conclusions: Basic skills colonoscopy courses provide measurable improvements in perception and knowledge and practical colonoscopy skills. The results of these assessments may be usefully fedback to the trainees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
