Evaluating the Realism of a Task Trainer and the Impact on Residents’ Confidence in Managing Massive Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding Among Emergency Medicine Residents

Objective Hemodynamically unstable upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) represents a life-threatening emergency that often lacks adequate high-fidelity training in the insertion of balloon tamponade devices. To address this gap, we developed an affordable task trainer that provides real-time feedback to enhance the training experience for emergency medicine residents. This study aims to evaluate the realism of the task trainer and its impact on residents' confidence in managing massive UGIB. Methods Constructed from low-cost, readily available materials, the task trainer was utilized in a training session attended by 28 emergency medicine residents. Following the review of an instructional video, participants were timed during the insertion of the balloon tamponade device. Subsequently, they completed a paper survey to assess their experiences and confidence levels. Results All 28 residents completed both the pre- and post-session surveys. The average time for inserting the balloon tamponade device was 3 minutes and 49 seconds. Sixteen participants strongly agreed, 11 agreed, and one felt neutral regarding the task trainer's realism in teaching the procedure. Additionally, all residents rated the simulation average or above average compared to previous educational experiences. Fourteen residents reported feeling significantly more confident in managing massive UGIB, while 13 felt slightly more confident, and one noted no change in confidence. Participants provided several positive remarks regarding the training session. Conclusions The balloon tamponade device task trainer proved beneficial in enhancing emergency medicine residents' confidence in managing patients with massive UGIB. Furthermore, the task trainer was perceived as realistic and superior to other educational modalities.