Getting Better Together: The Two-Team Training Approach in Simulation-Based Education

Most clinical cases involve more than one nurse and one profession in the patient care plan, and so it can be stated that health care is very often a team event. In this article, I describe a two-team training approach that is very effective for maximizing learning and preparing high-performing teams in several team-based courses. This strategy exemplifies the power of vicarious learning and learning through imitation. Benefits of the two-team training approach in simulation-based education may include: (1) improved use of training time; (2) increased training volume; (3) recognition, correction, and immediate application of desired behaviors; (4) an improved simulation do-over process; (5) improvement in self-efficacy; and (6) applicable use of research and evidence-based educational practices. The two-team approach is an educational strategy that is supported by research and sound educational learning theories and should be considered for inclusion in organizational continuing education training plans. [.