In situ interprofessional operating room simulations: Empowering learners in crisis resource management principles

Area of Science:

• Medical Simulation
• Patient Safety
• Teamwork and Communication

Background:

• Operating room teams face communication challenges that can lead to adverse events.
• In situ simulations identify patient safety threats and can increase participant confidence.
• Perceived confidence in specific team communication areas within the clinical environment needs further clarification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess how in situ interprofessional operating room simulations enhance participant confidence.
• To evaluate confidence increases in four key team principles: communication, resource utilization, role clarity, and situational awareness.
• To understand the impact of simulation on individual confidence in crisis resource management.

Main Methods:

• Conducted 13 simulated surgical crisis scenarios over 2 years with interdisciplinary operating room teams.
• Assessed pre- and post-simulation self-reported confidence in four crisis resource management principles.
• Utilized Wilcoxon signed-rank test with Bonferroni correction for statistical analysis (P < .0038).

Main Results:

• Statistically significant increases in self-reported confidence were observed across all four team principles post-simulation.
• Effective communication confidence increased (P = .0019, r = 0.18).
• Confidence in utilizing resources (P = .0014, r = 0.18), role clarity (P < .0010, r = 0.22), and situational awareness (P < .0010, r = 0.27) also significantly improved.

Conclusions:

• In situ operative simulations effectively enhance communication skills confidence in interdisciplinary teams during crises.
• Simulation can evaluate system competence, interdisciplinary dynamics, and identify latent conditions contributing to medical errors.
• Further evaluation will focus on the impact of these simulations on individual confidence and interdisciplinary efforts to improve patient care.