Mental Visualization as a Learning Tool in Anesthesia

Learning Mental Visualization to Improve Performance in Anesthesia: a Randomized Controlled Trial by Simulation

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the benefit of adding mental visualization to a training program in medical education. Undergraduate medical students will be randomized before participating in a training program on airway management during rapid sequence induction. In the control group, participants will receive traditional teaching including theoretical courses and procedural simulation. In the intervention group, in addition to traditional teaching, participants will be trained and encouraged to practice mental visualization. The main outcome will be clinical performance during a standardized high-fidelity simulation of rapid sequence induction assessed using a specific pre-established checklist.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Medical Education; Anesthesia
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Mental visualization

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 24
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• France
  • La Tronche, France, 38700
    • University Grenoble Alps

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Undergraduate medical students from the Grenoble Alps university hospital
• From the 2nd to the 6th year
• Volontary

Exclusion Criteria:

• /

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: traditional teaching; theoretical courses and procedural simulation on airway management during rapid sequence induction
Experimental: Mental visualization; traditional teaching completed by mental visualization : theoretical courses and procedural simulation on airway management during rapid sequence induction + mental visualization (theoretical courses, audioguide for individual practice and experience sharing session)	Other: Mental visualization; Instruction in mental visualization by theoretical lessons and support of practice by audio guide and session of experience sharing.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Clinical performance for airway management in a standardized high-fidelity simulation of rapid sequence induction.	All simulations will be videotaped and the clinical performance of each participant will be assessed by an independent evaluator using a specific pre-established checklist	2 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
"Material preparation" score, subpart 1 of the clinical performance grid	All simulations will be videotaped and the score of the subpart "Material preparation" of the clinical performance of each participant will be assessed by an independent evaluator using a specific pre-established checklist	2 weeks
"Intubation procedure" score, subpart 2 of the clinical performance grid	All simulations will be videotaped and the score of the subpart "Intubation procedure" of the clinical performance of each participant will be assessed by an independent evaluator using a specific pre-established checklist	2 weeks
Physiological stress response : SDNN	Heart rate variability evaluated by SDNN (Standard Deviation Normal to Normal), in miliseconds. Physiological stress response is higher when SDNN is lower.	2 weeks
Psychological stress response : Stress-VAS	Stress Visual Analogical Scale, from 0 to 100, psychological stress response is higher when score is higher.	2 weeks
Psychological stress response : STAI	STAI (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), from 20 to 80, psychological stress response is higher when score is higher.	2 weeks
Adesion to Mental visualization	Frequency questionnaire for the use of mental visualization, from "0" to ">1 per day". We ask the participant to use it once a day	2 weeks
Quality to Mental visualization : MIQ	Mental Imagery Questionnaire, from 8 to 56, mental visualisation is better when score is higher.	2 weeks
Memorization of key messages at three months	Specific pre-established checklist : 5-point grid. Assessed by an independent evaluator using a phone call.	3 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University Grenoble Alps

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 6, 2020
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 5, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): March 5, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 26, 2019
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 7, 2019
• First Posted (Actual): November 12, 2019

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): November 29, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 28, 2023
• Last Verified: November 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: airway management; pedagogy; learning process; mental visualization; rapide sequence induction
• Other Study ID Numbers: CESAR002

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No