Patient safety: effective interdisciplinary teamwork through simulation and debriefing in the neonatal ICU

According to the Institute of Medicine, team training is necessary to promote a safe and high-quality patient care environment. The complexity of the neonatal ICU requires that interdisciplinary teams collaborate, coordinate, and communicate to achieve common goals and support families. The use of strategies from the aerospace, nuclear power, and national defense industries-simulation, and debriefing-equips health care providers with the knowledge, skills, and behaviors necessary to perform effectively and safely. Families are encouraged to participate in simulation and debriefing so interdisciplinary teams can learn how to approach and support families when disclosing errors and to communicate sensitive information in a safe and nonthreatening environment.