Impact of simulation training for teamwork and communication intervention on patient safety in the emergency department

Abstract

Background: The emergency department (ED) is the hospital division that is most vulnerable to poor communication and teamwork-based medical errors that affect patient safety. One approach to prevent medical errors is by training and assessing healthcare workers using simulation-based (SB) teamwork and communication training. This study aimed to explore the extent to which SB training could improve teamwork and communication and reduce preventable medical errors in the ED. Method: The study was conducted at the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, a tertiary care center with a 39-bed ED, in Saudi Arabia. A total of 123 ED healthcare staff participated in the study. This study adopted a single-subject experimental design with the intervention of simulation training in ED cases. The methodology focused on three domains: 1) patient safety in the ED, 2) inter-professional and multidisciplinary simulation team training, and 3) team dynamic enhancement use. Staff perceptions regarding teamwork and communication pre-and post-intervention and the relationship between changes in their perception of performance in the ED and patient outcomes. The chi-square test was used for univariate analysis, and a generalized linear regression model was adjusted for demographics in multivariate analysis. Results: Staff perceptions were collected from all multidisciplinary team members before and after simulation training. The data revealed a significant improvement in overall staff perceptions toward teamwork and communication (8% to 34%, p-value = 0.001). Conclusion: SB communication and teamwork training in the ED resulted in a sustained and measurable improvement in ED staff perceptions toward teamwork and communication. The results suggest that simulation sessions may improve staff perceptions and multidisciplinary team communication during critical situations in the ED.