Development of a Joint-Specialty Simulation-Based Workshop to Optimize Counseling at Extreme Prematurity

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Perinatology
• Neonatology

Background:

• Current educational interventions for extreme prematurity counseling often focus on single specialties.
• Optimal counseling requires effective communication and collaboration between maternal-fetal medicine and neonatology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance interspecialty collaboration and personalized, family-focused counseling for extreme prematurity.
• To improve clinician preparedness for complex discussions regarding extreme prematurity.

Main Methods:

• Conducted three half-day virtual simulation-based workshops for maternal-fetal medicine and neonatology clinicians.
• Utilized didactics, simulated patient scenarios, and facilitated debriefs with patient-family input.

Main Results:

• 92% of 26 participants reported increased preparedness for difficult conversations.
• Key themes included enhanced interspecialty collaboration, personalized counseling, and bias mitigation.
• Participants adopted more parent-driven counseling approaches.

Conclusions:

• A novel simulation-based workshop effectively fostered collaboration between maternal-fetal medicine and neonatology.
• The intervention improved counseling skills, emphasizing relational aspects, personalization, and bias awareness for extreme prematurity cases.