Evaluating the Impact of an Educational Intervention on Knowledge Enhancement in Sepsis Management, Antimicrobial Resistance, and Fungal Infections Among Critical Care Experts

INTRODUCTION: The ANCHOR educational initiative (Assessment of Networked Critical Care Health Outcomes and Response) was developed to enhance critical care experts’ knowledge in sepsis management, antimicrobial resistance, and fungal infections. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the ANCHOR program in improving knowledge of evidence-based practices in these crucial areas of critical care. METHODS: The study involved 67 critical care experts with an estimated combined experience of 1800-man years. A pre-post intervention design was employed to measure knowledge improvement. Participants completed a 19-question standardized questionnaire both before and after the educational intervention. The questions were designed to assess evidence-based clinical guidelines and emerging therapies, with scores recorded as percentages of correct responses. The ANCHOR educational initiative was structured into lectures, case-based discussions, and interactive Q&A segments. The topics were emphasized practical applications of clinical guidelines and recent advancements in critical care. Percentage changes in correct responses were analyzed to identify areas of significant improvement and persisting knowledge gaps. Statistical analysis, including paired t-tests, was conducted to determine the significance of the knowledge gains. RESULTS: The ANCHOR educational initiative resulted in significant knowledge improvement across various critical care topics. The largest gains were observed in the understanding of the revised definition of sepsis (+78.9%), the recommended target mean arterial pressure (MAP) for septic shock (+69.8%), and the role of Thymosin Alpha 1 (Tα1) in sepsis and COVID-19 patients (+86.9%). Knowledge of empiric therapy for MRSA-related infections also showed substantial improvement (+86.2%), reflecting the intervention's success in addressing critical therapeutic areas. Significant knowledge enhancements were also observed in fungal infection management. Understanding of treatment for invasive aspergillosis increased by +60.1%, while knowledge of newer antifungal agents improved by +55.7%. Participants demonstrated a +71.6% gain in understanding fungal infections in liver transplant recipients, and comprehension of novel antibiotics like Dalbavancin improved by +71.5%. Despite these successes, some topics proved more challenging. Minimal improvements or declines were observed in areas such as the differentiation between hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) (-11.6%), knowledge of difficult-to-treat Gram-negative infections (-16.7%), and management of MDR pathogens in VAP (+7.4%). These findings highlight the complexity of these topics and the need for further focus in future interventions. The overall mean increase in knowledge was 50.77 percentage points, with paired t-test results showing a highly significant difference between pre- and post-intervention scores (p < 0.001). The high t-statistic (-6.39) and extremely low p-value (5.08e-06) confirm the statistical significance of these improvements, ruling out the possibility of random chance. CONCLUSION: The ANCHOR educational initiative effectively enhanced knowledge among critical care experts, particularly in sepsis management, antimicrobial therapy, and fungal infections. Most topics demonstrated substantial improvements, though challenging areas like antimicrobial resistance require additional emphasis. The findings emphasize the value of targeted educational initiatives to address baseline knowledge gaps and reinforce retention. By focusing on both strengths and gaps, tailored interventions can optimize learning outcomes, enhance clinical expertise, and ultimately improve patient care in critical care settings.