Development of an Educational Curriculum for Implanting and Managing Vagus Nerve Stimulators for Epilepsy.
Publication/Presentation Date
2-18-2025
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) devices are commonly used for extracranial neuromodulation of drug-resistant epilepsy. These devices are implanted by multiple surgical subspecialties and managed by practitioners with varying levels of epilepsy-specific expertise. The North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS) education committee presents a curriculum defining level-dependent recommendations within the six-core competency rubric for the implantation and management of VNS devices.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: A multidisciplinary (anesthesiology, neurology, neurosurgery, and physiatrists) and diverse (advanced practice providers, physicians, and surgeons) subcommittee of the NANS education committee met virtually over a year to develop a curriculum following the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) core competencies. The subcommittee used a consensus approach, evidence-based development strategy; once completed, the VNS curriculum was approved by the NANS board.
RESULTS: The subcommittee developed a VNS curriculum as a standard to be used for implanting surgeons, managing physicians, and advanced practice providers. The vertical orientation of the curriculum uses the ACGME educational core competencies framework; within this paradigm is a horizontal progression of skills with distinct competency groups for implanting surgeons and/or managing physicians. The horizontal progression defines the expected competence for early learner, advanced learner, and independent practitioner.
CONCLUSION: A NANS education subcommittee iteratively developed a VNS curriculum for defining progressive competence of myriad care providers, including clinicians and advanced practice providers, within the ACGME six core competencies.
ISSN
1525-1403
Published In/Presented At
Bieber, D., Gupta, K., Abdallah, R., Abd-Elsayed, A., Engle, A., Duff, I., Hoffman, D., Kalia, H., Rosenow, J., Macken, M., Raslan, A. M., Slavin, K., Tennant, A., & Raskin, J. S. (2025). Development of an Educational Curriculum for Implanting and Managing Vagus Nerve Stimulators for Epilepsy. Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society, S1094-7159(25)00019-4. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurom.2024.12.008
Disciplines
Anesthesiology | Medicine and Health Sciences
PubMedID
39969456
Department(s)
Department of Anesthesiology
Document Type
Article