Using Virtual Simulation to Assess Situation Awareness in Anesthesia Emergencies

Situation awareness (SA) is critical for safe anesthesia care, particularly during intraoperative handoffs. This pilot study examined the use of a virtual simulation platform for exploring SA among anesthesia professionals during a simulated intraoperative crisis. Twenty-four anesthesia clinicians completed an individual computer-based simulation involving patient handoff, deterioration, and recovery phases. Performance was evaluated using predefined situational cues and open-ended written responses. Highly important situational cues were identified significantly more frequently than moderate- or low-importance cues (χ 2 (2) = 20.67, p < .0001). No significant differences were observed by clinical role, experience, or gender. Qualitative analysis suggest evidence of higher-order SA processes, with 20 participants correctly identifying hemorrhage. These findings demonstrate the successful use of low-fidelity virtual simulation for standardized measurement of cognitive processes.