Assessing the Impact of a Red Trauma Simulation on Anesthesia Residents’ Confidence, Comfort, and Overnight Call Readiness

Introduction The transition from intern year to the first year of anesthesia residency is a critical period marked by a steep learning curve and the need to develop clinical proficiency rapidly. Managing overnight call, where residents face high-stakes, emergent situations, is particularly challenging. Confidence and comfort during these calls are essential for both patient safety and resident well-being. The primary objective is to evaluate whether participation in this simulation improves confidence and comfort levels of new anesthesia residents. Methods Thirteen first-year clinical anesthesia (CA-1) residents participated in the simulation of a 25-year-old male trauma patient after an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accident with a positive focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) exam and deteriorating vital signs. The simulation progressed through stages of induction, worsening hemodynamic instability, and resuscitation using a massive transfusion protocol (MTP). A simulation mannequin and monitors were used to accurately portray a realistic operating room. Baseline data on residents' comfort and confidence with overnight call and blood transfusions were collected via a pre-survey. A post-survey was administered to assess the simulation's impact. Results The red trauma simulation led to a significant increase in residents' confidence and comfort regarding overnight call and management of MTP. Before the simulation, many residents reported low confidence and comfort, but after the simulation, all participants reported feeling more confident and comfortable being the CA-1 anesthesia resident on overnight call and in initiating an MTP. Conclusion This study highlights the substantial benefits of simulation-based education in enhancing residents' confidence and comfort regarding overnight call and an MTP.