Investigating pediatric trauma team communication effectiveness phase one: the development of the assessment of pediatric resuscitation communication

Abstract

Trauma team communication effectiveness is usually not assessed during pediatric trauma resuscitations. Consequently, ineffective team communication is regarded as a root cause of medical errors made within the trauma setting. In order to identify the communication errors made during pediatric trauma resuscitations, researchers must have the tools necessary to evaluate the communication effectiveness of trauma team members and leaders. To address this need, the Assessment of Pediatric Resuscitation Communication (APRC) was recently created. Thus, the purpose of this manuscript is to describe the development of the APRC instrument, preview future plans for validation, and explain how the instrument can be used to improve the overall communication effectiveness of trauma teams and leaders. The APRC instrument was developed following a series of focus groups, interviews, and observations with trauma team members and leaders.