Development of an Educational Curriculum for Implanting and Managing Vagus Nerve Stimulators for Epilepsy

David Bieber, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
Kunal Gupta, Department of Neurosurgery, Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
Rany Abdallah, Department of Anesthesiology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Alaa Abd-Elsayed, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
Alyson Engle, Department of Anesthesiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
Irina Duff, Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Duvan Hoffman, Canadian Institute of Auricular Medicine, New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Hemant Kalia, Rochester Regional HealthFollow
Joshua Rosenow, Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
Micheal Macken, Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
Ahmed M. Raslan, Department of Neurological Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
Konstantin Slavin, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Illinois Hospital, Chicago, IL, USA.
Amy Tennant, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Jeffrey S. Raskin, Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA; Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Neurological Surgery, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital, Chicago, IL, USA.

Department

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Neuromodulation

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.

First Page

551

Last Page

557

DOI

10.1016/j.neurom.2024.12.008

Volume

28

Issue

4

Publication Date

6-1-2025

Medical Subject Headings

Humans; Vagus Nerve Stimulation (methods, standards, instrumentation); Curriculum (standards); Epilepsy (therapy); Education, Medical, Graduate (methods); Clinical Competence (standards)

PubMed ID

39969456

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS