Code Blue: methodology for a qualitative study of teamwork during simulated cardiac arrest

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Healthcare Quality Improvement
• Emergency Medicine

Background:

• In-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) presents unique preparedness challenges due to its unpredictable frequency.
• Successful IHCA resuscitation demands seamless collaboration among diverse healthcare providers, often with limited prior team experience.
• Persistently low survival rates suggest human factors significantly impact IHCA outcomes despite therapeutic advancements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the organizational, interpersonal, cognitive, and behavioral dynamics of in-hospital cardiac arrest resuscitation.
• To develop a descriptive model illustrating effective code team functioning during IHCA events.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative, quasi-ethnographic study design.
• Data collection via focus group interviews with IHCA resuscitation providers.
• Analysis of video recordings from in situ-simulated cardiac arrest events.
• Grounded theory-based analysis to understand team dynamics.

Main Results:

• Results are pending and will be published in a future manuscript.

Conclusions:

• Understanding code team dynamics is crucial for improving IHCA survival rates.
• Further research will elucidate specific factors influencing team performance during IHCA.