The Use of In Situ Simulation to Enhance COVID-19 Pandemic Preparedness in Obstetrics

Simulation’s benefits in medical education are well established. However, its use for pandemic preparedness in obstetrics is lacking. Management of obstetrical patients with suspected COVID-19 infection is a complex task with safety considerations for mother, fetus and healthcare workers. Implementation of new workflow algorithms to ensure safety is critical but is challenging to implement in real-time. We sought to improve pandemic preparedness by designing and deploying a high-fidelity simulation exercise involving the admission of a labouring obstetrical patient with suspected COVID-19 into a labour room, urgent transfer to the operating room and neonatal resuscitation. The creation of the simulation scenario was a multi-disciplinary effort with input from a focus group of key clinical stakeholders from within and outside of our centre to ensure clinical validity. Simulations were performed on the clinical unit during regular work hours so workflow could be observed in real-time with access to the equipment and personnel in which this clinical scenario would occur. We completed a total of 11 simulation sessions involving 42 participants. Feedback, obtained from debrief sessions and anonymous surveys, was categorized based on the human factors framework, and used as part of an iterative process to adapt, revise and improve the simulation scenario. The result of this iterative process was the creation of validated departmental infection control protocols that continue to be implemented through the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.