Barriers to and Facilitators of Implementing Team-Based Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Simulation Study:...

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Medical Simulation
• Healthcare Education

Background:

• Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is vital for severe cardiorespiratory failure.
• Simulation training is standard for ECMO providers to enhance knowledge and skills.
• Keck Medicine of USC utilizes simulation to reinforce ECMO best practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of simulation training on interprofessional collaboration in ECMO.
• To determine if simulation-based ECMO training enhances communication and teamwork.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of simulation in improving ECMO decision-making.

Main Methods:

• A single-center, mixed-methods study conducted at Keck Medicine of USC (September 2021-April 2023).
• Monthly 1-hour simulation training focused on ECMO initiation collaboration and decision-making.
• Pre-, post-, and 3-month follow-up electronic surveys assessed teamwork and training effectiveness; focus groups explored socioenvironmental factors.

Main Results:

• 37 trainees participated in the ECMO simulation training.
• Survey data indicated a positive shift in teamwork ability.
• Qualitative analysis revealed improvements in confidence and decision-making skills.

Conclusions:

• Simulation training shows promise for enhancing interprofessional collaboration in ECMO.
• The study highlights areas for improvement in designing educational intervention assessments.
• Further research is warranted to explore the hypothesis and refine simulation training protocols.