A survey by the european airway management society (EAMS) about online education

ABSTRACT

Backgrounds and Aims: The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic led to cancellation of nearly all physical conferences and workshops over the past 18 months. ON-line educational activities were offered all over. To get insight about anaesthetics preferences online activities specifically on airway management, the European Airway Management Society (EMAS) carried out a members survey in July 2020. Method: An e-survey on 'google forms' was sent to all society members asking their willingness to attend virtual events hosted by EAMS. A five point Likert scale asked about their preferred presentation format, their interest on different airway management topics, duration and periodicity of such activities. Results: From 623 addressed members, 274 opened the email and 118 (19% and 43% respectively) answered. Interestingly, 90% of respondents would attend a virtual EAMS conference, 92% were interested in attending shorter webinars. The preferred formats were webinars, pro-con-debates and sessions including audience response system. Recorded lectures were the least wanted. High rated topics of interest were airway guidelines and devices, challenging cases, education, apnoeic oxygenation and the shared airway (Fig. 1). Short 60 to 90 minutes sessions distributed over several days and monthly sessions were found convenient. Suggested topics from the respondents were human factors in airway management, including non-technical skills and teamwork. Conclusion: This survey provided EAMS solid grounds to organize and spend resources on a series of gratis, open accessible and interactive webinars of 75 minutes duration from November 2020 on. In 2021, an audience of about 180 participants from 40 countries attended these monthly webinars given by internationally recognized speakers. Topics covered were tracheostomy care, patient's safety, awake intubation, high-flow nasal oxygen and COVID-19, airway management in critically ill adults the INTUBE study, the NECTARINE and PEDI children studies, briefing and debriefing in airway management.