A High-Fidelity Human Patient Simulation Initiative to Enhance Communication and Teamwork Among a Maternity Care Team

To use high-fidelity human patient simulation to enhance teamwork and communication during maternity care emergencies.

Quality improvement initiative.

The labor and delivery team at a large suburban Level 2 facility in the Midwestern United States sought to apply evidence and use simulation to improve communication and teamwork.

Approximately 170 maternity care staff members, including nurses, anesthesia providers, and pediatric and obstetric physicians.

During each simulation, there were two scenarios with a debriefing session at the end of each. Teamwork and communication were evaluated using participant surveys.

Participants reported improved communication (p = .031) and teamwork (p = .041) after simulation. Additionally, 81% of respondents believed that their ability to perform clinical skills improved.

Use of high-fidelity human patient simulation was associated with improved teamwork and communication for a maternity care team. Simulation has been incorporated into standard education. We hope to sustain successful outcomes by providing ongoing simulation experiences for labor and delivery staff annually.