Adaptation and Validation of the Situation Awareness Global Assessment Technique for Nurse Anesthesia Graduate Students

• Published in: Clinical simulation in nursing 2020-06, Vol.43, p.35-43
• Main Authors: Dishman, Deniz, Fallacaro, Michael D., Damico, Nicole, Wright, Melanie C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: anesthesia; anesthesia trainee; nurse anesthesia; nurse anesthesia graduate student; SAGAT; simulation assessment; situation awareness; Situation Awareness Global Assessment Technique
• ISSN: 1876-1399; 1876-1402
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecns.2020.02.003

Endsley's Situation Awareness Global Assessment Technique (SAGAT) is accepted as a valid and reliable situation awareness (SA) measurement tool in event-driven domains, including health care specialties. This study validated an adapted SAGAT to quantify anesthesia providers' SA in a simulation. Using exploratory sequential mixed methods, SAGAT items were adapted and validated using qualitative techniques and further validated by quantitative approaches. The study used 2 samples of CRNA, nurse anesthesia educators. Content analysis of identified and validated SA requirements elicited SAGAT items, with the final item list demonstrating I-CVIs of 0.83 to 1.0 and S-CVI/Ave of 0.92. An anesthesia providers' competence is directly related to clinical decision making and thus SA, necessitating the importance of its measurement. •SAGAT is the ideal tool to measure situation awareness in dynamic environments.•Situation awareness is the key driver of proficient clinical decision-making.•Situation awareness is enhanced with didactic, clinical and simulation training.•The SAGAT bears useful assessment to direct further learning exercises.