Should ongoing airway education be a mandatory component of continuing professional development for College of Intensive Care Medicine Fellows?

This study aimed to determine whether airway education should be introduced to the continuing professional development (CPD) program for College of Intensive Care Medicine (CICM) Fellows. A random representative sample of 11 tertiary intensive care units (ICUs) was chosen from the list of 56 units accredited for 12 or 24 months of CICM training. All specialist intensive care Fellows (n=140) currently practising at the eleven ICUs were sent the questionnaire via email. Questionnaire data collection and post-collection data analysis was used to determine basic respondent demographics, frequency of certain airway procedures in the past 12 months, confidence with advanced airway practices in ICU, participation in airway education in the past three years, knowledge of can't intubate, can't oxygenate (CICO) algorithms, preference for certain airway equipment/techniques, and support for required airway education as a component of the CICM CPD program. All responses were tabled for comparison. Data was analysed to establish any significant effect of another specialty qualification and current co-practice in anaesthesia on volume of practice, confidence with multiple airway procedures, use of airway equipment, and support for airway education. In total, 112 responses (response rate 80%) to the questionnaire were received within four weeks; 107 were completed in full (compliance 96%). All results were tabled. There is currently widespread support amongst CICM Fellows for airway skills education as a CPD requirement for CICM Fellows. Volumes of practice and confidence levels with different airway procedures vary amongst Fellows and further support the need for education.