Procedural Training Skills

In 1995, the Commission on Continuing Medical Education (now the Commission on Continuing Professional Development [COCPD]) established criteria to be used for activities which teach procedural skills. In the opinion of the AAFP, the following must be part of any activity intended to lead to the ability to independently perform a procedure or to lead to readiness for preceptoring/proctoring.

1. Indications for the procedure

2. Contraindications for the procedure

3. Complications

4. Informed consent/patient counseling

5. Patient preparation/education

6. Anesthesia, analgesia, sedation (as appropriate)

7. Equipment selection

8. Cleaning, disinfection, maintenance and, where appropriate, sterilization of equipment

9. Patient positioning

10. Technique - including an opportunity for learners to develop psychomotor skills models, simulators, etc.

11. Pathology recognition

12. Management of complications

13. Practice management aspects

14. Patient monitoring/resuscitation

15. Outcome evaluation

In addition to the above, the trainee should be evaluated on 1) cognitive knowledge, 2) psychomotor skills/technique, and 3) visual recognition of pathology, if appropriate.

The instructor(s) in the activity should have significant personal experience in performing the procedure(s) that is being taught and should be capable of teaching the procedure.

If the objective of a procedural skills activity is to inform and educate, but not provide an in-depth level of skill, these criteria are not an essential part of the activity.