Sustained decrease in latent safety threats through regular interprofessional in situ simulation training of neonatal...

Area of Science:

• Medical Simulation
• Patient Safety
• Healthcare Education

Background:

• Traditional simulation-based team training has limitations.
• In situ simulation offers advantages by training in the actual clinical environment.
• Neonatal emergencies require effective interprofessional team response.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effectiveness of regular in situ simulation training for neonatal emergencies.
• To identify and rectify latent safety threats (LSTs) in an interprofessional team setting.
• To assess the impact of sustained in situ simulation on patient safety.

Main Methods:

• Conducted 1-day in situ simulation trainings in obstetrics and gynecology departments.
• Involved interprofessional teams including anesthesiologists, obstetricians, midwives, nurses, and pediatricians.
• Collected, categorized (medication, equipment, resource/system), and addressed identified LSTs based on potential harm.

Main Results:

• Identified 67 LSTs across 13 training sessions over nearly 8 years.
• The majority of LSTs were in the 'equipment' category (62.7%).
• A significant negative correlation was observed between the number of trainings and LST frequency (r=-0.684, p=0.01), with 91% rectified by the next training.

Conclusions:

• Regular in situ simulation training for neonatal emergencies positively impacts patient safety.
• The majority of identified latent safety threats can be rectified.
• The decreasing frequency of LSTs with increased training demonstrates a sustained positive effect on safety.