Applied Improvisation: Putting Behavioral Skills Center Stage in Simulation-Based Team Training

Behavioral skills, sometimes referred to as nontechnical skills or team-based skills, are fundamental to simulation-based team training. These skills should be afforded the same deliberate practice and development as clinical knowledge and procedural skills in health care education. Applied improvisation, the use of theater games designed to improve individual and team performance, is gaining traction in health care education to train behavioral skills. Simulation educators are experts in experiential learning with debriefing and therefore well poised to incorporate applied improvisational exercises into team training activities.