P.31 Trainee exposure to general anaesthesia for caesarean section

Haugh, C.; Kelly, D.; O039,; Gorman, L.; ffrench-O039,; Carroll, R.; Smith, S.

Introduction: It has long been questioned whether trainee anaesthesiologists are receiving adequate exposure to general anaesthesia for caesarean sections (GA CS).1 In 2020, the College of Anaesthesiologists of Ireland published their revised training curriculum which stipulated that trainees should be involved in the provision of anaesthesia for a minimum of 50 caesarean sections, of which at least 2 must be under GA.2 We sought to examine whether trainees were meeting this minimum number of GA CS during their 6-month rotation at our institution, and to compare the differences between 2009, 2019 and 2020 including the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. Methods: Following approval by our hospital audit committee, details of all patients who received GA for CS were extracted from our IT system for 3 x 6-month rotation periods in 2009, 2019 and 2020. A retrospective chart review was carried out and each trainee present at the GA CS was recorded. Results: In the three 6-month rotations, a total of 41 trainees were assessed. [Formula presented] Discussion: Despite a 50% increase in the number of trainees in our department since 2009, we have seen no difference in the mean number of GA CS that each trainee is exposed to. This can partially be accounted for by the significant increase in the number of CS performed (P<0.0001) while there was no significant difference in the proportion of GA CS (P = 0.782). There was one trainee in 2020 who did not meet the minimum standard. Interestingly, there was an increase in the number of GA CS during the period covering the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. We were concerned that trainees during this period may not have received adequate exposure to GA CS as some maternity units in the UK showed a significant decrease in their rates of GA CS during this time.3 These numbers require ongoing review to ensure that trainees meet minimum volumes of practice during their obstetric anaesthesia rotation.