Assessment of learning environment in anesthesia by using ATEEM tool

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the learning environment for anesthesia trainees and compare the results between two leading public and private hospitals of Islamabad region
Study Design: A prospective descriptive study involving postgraduate anesthesia trainees.
Duration: January 2016 to February 2016
Setting: Anesthesia Department of a leading public and private hospital, Islamabad (Pakistan)
Methodology: Anesthesia Theater Education Environment Measure (ATEEM) questionnaire was administered to trainees of public and private teaching hospital after taking informed consent. ATEEM total score was calculated using descriptive statistics while comparisons were made using Student’s t-test.
Results: Thirty trainees responded each from one public and one private hospital. The mean total ATEEM score was 117.16/160. Mean score of trainees from private hospital was higher in all the domains of ATEEM. A total of 18 variables out of total 40 resulted in statistically significant results (p value < 0.05).
Conclusion: The learning environment of anesthesia trainees is positively perceived by all the participants. However, the ATEEM scores in four of the five domains showed that the trainees’ perception of their educational environment varies profoundly between a public and the private hospital under study. There were no differences on the basis of gender and the scores are similar to international studies.