The department of Anaesthesia at Christian Medical College Vellore is a large department with 40 consultants and 55 postgraduate trainees providing anaesthetic cover for about 45 areas. We are at the threshold of a major expansion. By the year 2020, we plan to provide anaesthesia services for another 45 additional areas which includes:
• 11 Orthopaedic Operation Theatres (ORs)
• 25 Superspeciality ORs (CMC’s new super-speciality hospital at Kannigapuram, 10 km from Vellore)
• 5 Day care ORs
• 6 Trauma ORs
The demands on postgraduate education and training are also set to increase with increases in the postgraduate intake from 19 MDs to 33 MDs per year. In addition, the department also trains interns, paramedical staff and Critical Care Fellows, from ICU and surgical specialities for acquisition of core skills, especially vascular access and basic airway management.
With increasing demands, we anticipate challenges in maintaining the standards of training.
Doing more of the same is no longer enough.
Clinical teaching and skill acquisition has traditionally relied on the fundamental principle of ‘See one, do one and teach one’ and has always been done during treatment of patients in real life scenarios. With increasing awareness of patient safety and medical ethics, there are limitations in the opportunities to learn and practice clinical skills in the conventional manner.
Patient safety is our primary concern. The challenge is in training large number of healthcare professionals, to achieve high quality uniform standards in peri-operative care.
The Skills Lab will be named in honour of Dr. Valerie Major, former Head of the Department of Anaesthesia, in grateful appreciation for her long years of outstanding service and dedication to patient safety and postgraduate education at the Christian Medical College Vellore.
There is expanding evidence that simulation-based practice creates a convenient and safe environment for learning and achieving competencies in focused areas of training.
It has been shown to improve the acquisition of individual clinical skills, team organisation and performance, patient safety and has already been incorporated into the medical education internationally.
To ensure uniform quality in the standard of training and skill acquisition, we have already introduced competency-based training with an e-portfolio.
We are also in the process of implementing simulation-based training as part of the Anaesthesiology curriculum. We would like to introduce it in a phased, multi-stage approach, where trainees start from bench-top and task trainers, followed by procedural simulation of more complex procedures appropriate for their level of training or proficiency.
We are also in the process of implementing simulation-based training as part of the Anaesthesiology curriculum.
We would like to introduce it in a phased, multi-stage approach, where trainees start from bench-top and task trainers, followed by procedural simulation of more complex procedures appropriate for their level of training or proficiency.
Skills Lab — Training
Airway Management and Trauma Skills
LMA and Supraglottic Device Insertion
Vascular Access
Oral and Nasal Intubation
Chest Tube Insertion
Percutaneous Tracheostomy
Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation
Needle & Surgical Cricothyroidotomy
Insertion & Confirmation of Double Lumen Tube
Insertion & Confirmation of Bronchial Blockers
Simulation Of Emergency Scenarios
USG needling skills
Dr. Valerie Major came to India from the UK in 1967 on a research scholarship. Two years later she joined the Anaesthesia Department. In 1977 she became head of the Department.
Known for her hard work and dedication, she treated her patients with love. Their safety was always her priority. She was well respected by her students having a stern yet kind nature.
By the time she retired in 1995, the Department had developed greatly under her leadership and guidance. Her emphasis on patient safety remains their central concern.
Those she trained describe her as “a teacher par excellence”, and one previous head of Anaesthesia notes, “her teachings were based on evidence, even before evidence-based medicine came in a big way.” She served on the board of the Friends of Vellore UK. Dr. Valerie Major embodied CMC’s motto ‘To serve and not be served.’
We have received an ASHA grant to start an advanced maternal and neonatal care perioperative simulation centre. This enables us to procure a Sim Mom and a Sim baby.
Skills Lab Phase One
Phase 1 will have basic skills trainers and low fidelity simulators.
The budget for these items comes to approximately USD 30,000 (INR ₹ 22,00,000, AUD 45,000, GBP 24,000).
Skills Lab Phase One Trainers
• Trucorp Airsim Bronchi Adult
• Trucorp Airsim Bronchi Child
• Trucorp Airsim Bronchi Baby
• Oxford Fibre Optic Training Box
• Blue Phantom
• Torso for Central Line
• Epidural Trainer
• Trucorp Airsim Trauma
Skills Lab Phase Two
Phase 2 will have advanced simulators which will include high fidelity computer-controlled mannequin patient simulators (MPS). This will allow the trainees to practice in an operating theatre environment, with real-time events and unexpected crises to be managed.
We would like to raise US$30,000 towards launching Phase 1 of the Skills Lab by April 2020. Your generous contributions will encourage us as we work towards the completion of this project.
Donations by Indian citizens can be made:
• By donating online
• By cheque or DD payable to ‘CMC Vellore Association’– to be posted to: Mr. Hugh Skeil, Development Office, CMC Hospital, Vellore – 632 004.
• By deposit or bank transfer into our SBI account: Acct. No.: 3033 2718 726; IFS Code: SBIN0001618
• Bank transfer to CMC’s FCRA account:
Acct. No: 10404158249; IFS Code: SBIN0001618;
Swift Number: SBININBB473
Donations by citizens of other countries (including OCI):
• Australia, UK, USA, Canada, Germany and Sweden can donate in their own countries through Friends of Vellore
Important:
Please inform us
1) your name 2) address and 3) PAN (if you have one) and the date and amount of any transfer into our bank accounts through email.
Write to us @ dev.office@cmcvellore.ac.in
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