A Scottish National Prospective Study of airway management skills in new-start SHOs.

BACKGROUND: There is increasing concern about the ability of junior anaesthetists to manage the airway correctly and alarm that this may lead to adverse events. METHODS: We monitored the airway management skills of new-start anaesthetists in Scotland for 3 months. RESULTS: Experience with the laryngeal mask airway was satisfactory but there was wide variation in numbers of facemask and tracheal intubation cases. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend that facemask anaesthesia is given a high priority in the formative months and that a target number of intubations should be carried out before providing anaesthesia without direct supervision.