Promoting Teamwork for Rapid Response Teams Through Simulation Training

Use of teamwork skills during rapid response calls is important in the management of patient decompensation outside of the intensive care unit. The ability of a rapid response team (RRT) to influence patient outcomes depends on early team building and effective team performance. Simulation-based team training (SBTT) has been shown to be effective in teaching nontechnical teamwork skills. Rapid Cycle Deliberate Practice (RCDP) is becoming increasingly popular in simulation-based education. Emerging literature on the application of RCDP suggests this method may be superior to traditional reflective debriefing (TRD) in the acquisition of technical skills related to medical management, but fewer data exist that evaluate application of RCDP in teaching nontechnical teamwork skills. We describe a blended approach, using TRD with RCDP to hardwire teamwork behaviors including role assignment, task delegation, situational awareness, global assessment, and shared mental model to a nursing-led RRT. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2019;50(11):523-528.].