Development and evaluation of a simulation-based mastery learning maintenance of certification course

Background/Objectives: To develop and evaluate a post-acute care simulation-based mastery learning (SBML) continuing medical education (CME)/maintenance of certification (MOC) procedure course. Design: Pretest-posttest study of the SBML intervention. Setting: A 2-day post-acute care procedures course. Participants: Sixteen practicing clinicians (5 physicians,11 advanced practice providers). Participants engaged in a skills pretest on knee aspiration/injection, gastrostomy tube removal/replacement, tracheostomy tube exchange, and basic suturing using a checklist created for each procedure. Participants received a didactic on each procedure followed by deliberate practice with feedback. Using the same checklists, participants completed a skills posttest and were required to meet a minimum passing standard (MPS) to obtain CME/MOC credit. Measurements: The MPS for each skills checklist was determined by a multidisciplinary panel of 11 experts. Participants completed surveys on procedure self-confidence and a course evaluation. Results: There was statistically significant improvement between pre- and posttests for all four procedures (p < .001). All participants were able to meet or exceed the MPS for each skill during the 2-day course. Participants' self-confidence regarding each procedure improved significantly (p < .001). Conclusion: An SBML training course granting CME/MOC credit for post-acute care providers significantly improves performance of knee aspiration/injection, gastrostomy tube removal/replacement, tracheostomy tube exchange, and basic suturing.