ABSTRACT
Guidelines and related algorithms play a major role in acute medicine, in particular for the handling of time critical and high-risk situations in anaesthesiology, emergency and critical care medicine. Numerous national and local guidelines exist on time-critical procedures and interventions, for example, on rapid-sequence induction of anaesthesia in children. Our model of a simulator-based evaluation of clinical guidelines is methodologically feasible, using a combination of observation, stress measurement and self-assessment. A valid clinical evaluation frequently collides with ethical considerations, particularly when children are involved. Hence, a high proportion of guidelines in acute medicine may be evaluated by clinical observation, retrospective epidemiological analysis and expert appraisal only. Characteristically, guidelines are based on a thoroughly performed consensus process on best scientific evidence, paired with expert knowledge and experience. Clinical guidelines in acute medicine aim to reduce stress to increase patient safety.
