Implementation of a Virtual Simulation-based Teamwork Training Program for Emergency Events in the Perioperative Setting

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Working in interprofessional teams in healthcare is listed as one of the four core competencies for interprofessional collaborative practice. Literature demonstrates that communication failures during emergencies are a large contributor to adverse clinical events that negatively impact patient outcomes. Additionally, The Joint Commission identifies poor communication as a key factor in sentinel events. A survey addressing teamwork and high-quality communication was distributed to the Perioperative Department, which revealed that the "communication openness" category received a score below AHRQ benchmark. The perioperative leadership team was tasked with developing strategic working groups in response to the poorly scored communication domain. OBJECTIVES OF PROJECT: (1) Participants will be able to implement the communication tool represented within the TeamSTEPPS platform; (2) Participants will be able to discuss the importance of effective communication during emergency clinical events; (3) Participants will be able to optimize teamwork communication skills to improve patient outcomes during emergency clinical events. PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTATION: The team discussed and leveraged the survey findings to develop innovative ways to improve communication for the Perioperative team, including physicians, nurses, and ancillary staff. As a part of the action plan, the team decided to use simulation education aimed toward effective communication during emergency clinical events. However, COVID-19 required social distancing-based learning. Therefore, the team developed an experiential-learning-rich presentation with pre-recorded clinical emergency videos of participatory, active simulation to demonstrate the main teamwork and communication tools represented within the TeamSTEPPS model. All disciplines participated in role-playing communication aids to demonstrate teamwork and handoff scenarios depicted within the observed simulation video clips. STATEMENT OF SUCCESSFUL PRACTICE: Open-ended anonymous surveys distributed after sessions demonstrated that individuals participating in the virtual simulation sessions has allowed for increased opportunities to effectively communicate based on shared goals, shared knowledge, and mutual respect during clinical emergency events and daily practice. Additionally, participants reported intentions to apply the TeamSTEPPS concepts, such as situational awareness, mutual support, and communication in their future practices. IMPLICATIONS FOR ADVANCING THE PRACTICE OF PERIANESTHESIA NURSING: Utilizing observed virtual simulation methods of team training allows for future opportunities of distributed learning for high fidelity team training sessions in efforts to improve communication between the perioperative team and optimize care of all Perianesthesia patient populations.