Multidisciplinary crisis simulations: the way forward for training surgical teams

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Patient Safety
• Human Factors in Medicine

Background:

• High-reliability organizations emphasize non-technical skills for safety.
• Safety skills training is increasingly applied in medical practice.
• A multidisciplinary module was developed for simulated operating theatre surgical team training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and pilot a multidisciplinary simulation-based training module for surgical teams.
• To assess both technical and non-technical skills in a simulated operating environment.
• To evaluate the feasibility and reception of the training.

Main Methods:

• Twenty multidisciplinary teams (surgeon, anesthetist, ODP, scrub nurse) participated.
• Simulated crisis scenarios (e.g., difficult intubation, hemorrhage) were used.
• Technical and non-technical skills were assessed by experts and psychologists using rating scales.

Main Results:

• Trainees favorably assessed the training.
• No significant differences in technical skill assessment between trainees and trainers, though nurses overestimated their skills.
• Non-technical skills like leadership and decision-making scored lower; surgeons and anesthetists scored lower on leadership and communication than nurses.

Conclusions:

• Multidisciplinary simulation-based team training is feasible and well-received in surgery.
• Assessment of non-technical skills alongside technical skills identifies training needs.
• Future work should focus on systematic training for technical and non-technical skills to enhance surgical team performance and safety.