Northeast Missouri Osteopathic Charitable Trust gifts new learning resource to ATSU-KCOM
Posted: September 1, 2016
A.T. Still University Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-KCOM) Emergency Medicine Club members were the first students to be introduced to a new E-Mac video assisted laryngoscope during their first club activity on Aug. 5, 2016. Club members from the class of 2020 met for an airway management lab with focus on intubation skills. Students were introduced to critical skills of laryngoscope intubation with the handles and blades, as well as the new video assisted device.
Ben Schrant, DO, ’08, medical director for the University’s Drabing Human Patient Simulation (HPS) Lab, recognized the need to introduce this technology to students as he sees the future of hand-directed intubation skills soon being replaced by video assisted intubation technique in the clinical setting. Dr. Schrant believes it will increase knowledge and understanding of this now crucial piece of airway management. Studies have demonstrated video assisted laryngoscope equipment increases the rate of successful intubation in both primary and rescue attempts of entrotracheal intubation.
The E-Mac was purchased with the help of the Northeast Missouri Osteopathic Charitable Trust. Students, interns, residents, faculty, and staff are grateful to the Northeast Missouri Osteopathic Charitable Trust for making a gift to purchase this new learning tool.
“The video assisted laryngoscopes are another tool giving ATSU students an advantage for rotations and as future physicians,” said Clayton Starnes, OMS II, “Our club had a great time in the lab and I heard many students echo their opinion that video assisted laryngoscope was very valuable to use. “
The purchased video laryngoscope (VL) equipment will benefit the students in more ways than mere airway management practice. The equipment features video out terminals to facilitate real time video feed onto a projector, allowing the device to be used in a large lecture format.
The device also opens new avenues for medical education training within the Drabing HPS lab. The SimMan 3G simulators are equipped with a myriad of difficult airway options; however, most of these pathways have not been able to be used by students because they have not been trained to perform surgical airway interventions. The VL device will be an actual working medical device, which will allow for increased use and fidelity of the University’s simulators and HPS lab.
The use of a VL device in the HPS lab and lecture venue further serves ATSU’s mission statement. This technology provides a competency for students while also allowing for anatomical visualization of the pharynx and glottis. ATSU-KCOM academic departments, such as anatomy, surgery, and ENT can also find use for the VL device outside of the HPS lab; it will have utility in extracurricular activities for various clubs and organizations including the Emergency Medicine Club and Anesthesia Interest Group.