Impact of named caps on anesthesia and intensive care team performance: a randomized simulation study

Effective communication and team non-technical skills are key points for patient safety in anesthesia and intensive care. Named caps have been proposed as a strategy to enhance team efficiency. However, evidence regarding their impact on objectively assessed team performance remains limited.

We conducted a prospective, single center, randomized, experimental study in a high-fidelity simulation setting (SimHU, Nîmes). Anesthesia and intensive care residents, young doctors, and paramedics participated in simulated critical scenarios, alternating between sessions with and without named caps. The primary objective was to compare team performance, assessed by observers using the TEAM score. The secondary objectives were self-reported measures of entitativity, team cohesion and inclusion of self in the group.

A total of 112 participants across 32 simulation sessions were included, which were assessed by 19 instructors. TEAM scores were significantly higher in the named cap group compared to the control group: the 44 points TEAM score (37 ± 7 vs. 33 ± 7; p = 0.026) and the total score (45 ± 8 vs. 40 ± 9; p = 0.020). Subjective perceptions of entitativity and team cohesion did not differ significantly.

Named caps were associated with higher team performance in a simulated environment. Their impact on perceived team cohesion and entitativity was not statistically significant under simulation conditions. Further research in clinical settings is needed to determine whether named caps improve teamwork and patient safety.