Training and assessment of non-technical skills in Norwegian helicopter emergency services: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study

Kristen Rasmussen,Håkon B Abrahamsen,Henrik Langdalen,Leif Inge K Sørskår,Gunnar Tschudi Bondevik,Eirik Bjorheim Abrahamsen,Stephen J M Sollid

doi:10.1186/s13049-018-0583-1

Abstract

BackgroundDeficient non-technical skills (NTS) among providers of critical care in helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) is a threat to patient and operational safety. Skills can be improved through simulation-based training and assessment. A previous study indicated that physicians underwent less frequent training compared to pilots and HEMS crew members (HCM) and that all professional groups in Norwegian HEMS received limited training in how to cope with fatigue. Since then, training initiatives and a fatigue risk management project has been initiated. Our study aimed to explore if the frequency of simulation-based training and assessment of NTS in Norwegian HEMS has changed since 2011 following these measures.MethodsA cross-sectional web-based survey from October through December 2016, of physicians, HCM and pilots from all civilian Norwegian HEMS-bases reporting the overall extent of simulation-based training and assessment of NTS.ResultsOf 214 invited, 109 responses were eligible for analysis. The frequency of simulation-based training and assessment of NTS has increased significantly for all professional groups in Norwegian HEMS, most prominently for the physicians. For all groups, the frequency of assessment is generally lower than the frequency of training.ConclusionsPhysicians in Norwegian HEMS seem to have adjusted to the NTS training culture of the other crew member groups. This might be a consequence of improved NTS training programs. The use of behavioural marker systems systematically in HEMS should be emphasized.

Highlights

Pre-hospital critical care and transport of critically ill or injured patients involve a significant risk of adverse events [1]
The main findings from this study was a lack of simulation-based training and assessment for all professional groups in Norwegian helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS), that physicians underwent significantly less frequent training and assessment compared to pilots and HEMS Crew Members (HCM), and that all groups received limited training in how to cope with fatigue even though they were on call for extended hours
Our study aimed to explore if the frequency of simulation-based training and assessment of nontechnical skills in Norwegian HEMS has changed following the training initiatives mentioned above

Summary

Introduction

Pre-hospital critical care and transport of critically ill or injured patients involve a significant risk of adverse events [1]. To document the level of simulation-based training and assessment of non-technical skills in 2011 among crew members of the Norwegian HEMS, Abrahamsen and co-workers performed a cross-sectional survey [8]. The main findings from this study was a lack of simulation-based training and assessment for all professional groups in Norwegian HEMS, that physicians underwent significantly less frequent training and assessment compared to pilots and HEMS Crew Members (HCM), and that all groups received limited training in how to cope with fatigue even though they were on call for extended hours. A previous study indicated that physicians underwent less frequent training compared to pilots and HEMS crew members (HCM) and that all professional groups in Norwegian HEMS received limited training in how to cope with fatigue. Our study aimed to explore if the frequency of simulation-based training and assessment of NTS in Norwegian HEMS has changed since 2011 following these measures

Methods

Results

Conclusion