A basic anesthesia training program for nurses in Chad: first steps for a south–south academic cooperation program Programme de formation de base en anesthésie pour le personnel infirmier au Tchad: premiers pas d’un programme de coopération académique sud

Abstract

Purpose: Safe perioperative care remains a large public healthcare problem in low- and middle-income countries. Anesthesia care provided by trained professionals is one of the essential determinants to address this situation. This article reports the design and implementation of a focused anesthesia educational program for nurses in Chad. Method: This program consisted of four full-time courses of one month each, taught in a local hospital. The program included supervised practice in the operating room and post-anesthesia recovery room, skills lab simulation training, high fidelity crisis simulation, theoretical classes, integration sessions, evaluations, and structured feedback sessions. Results: Seven male nurses, aged 28–40 yr, were accepted and successfully completed the program. The median [interquartile range] students’ global satisfaction with the program was high (86 [85–93]%). Cognitive and skills assessment improved significantly after the program. Students subsequently worked in city and district hospitals performing essential and emergency surgical interventions. Conclusions: This is a novel south–south academic cooperation program for nurses in Chad. The program evaluation indicated a high level of satisfaction, effective cognitive and skills learning, and changes in clinical behaviour. Addressing the lack of adequate provision of anesthesia care is a task still to be faced, and this program depicts a bridge alternative until formal educational programs are implemented in the country.