Change in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Performance Over Time During Simulated Pediatric Cardiac Arrest and the Effect of Just-in-Time Training and Feedback.

OBJECTIVES: Effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is critical to ensure optimal outcomes from cardiac arrest, yet trained health care providers consistently struggle to provide guideline-compliant CPR. Rescuer fatigue can impact chest compression (CC) quality during a cardiac arrest event, although it is unknown if visual feedback or just-in-time training influences change of CC quality over time. In this study, we attempt to describe the changes in CC quality over a 12-minute simulated resuscitation and examine the influence of just-in-time training and visual feedback on CC quality over time. METHODS: We conducted secondary analysis of data collected from the CPRCARES study, a multicenter randomized trial in which CPR-certified health care providers from 10 different pediatric tertiary care centers were randomized to receive visual feedback, just-in-time CPR training, or no intervention. They participated in a simulated cardiac arrest scenario with 2 team members providing CCs. We compared the quality of CCs delivered (depth and rate) at the beginning (0-4 minutes), middle (4-8 minutes), and end (8-12 minutes) of the resuscitation. RESULTS: There was no significant change in depth over the 3 time intervals in any of the arms. There was a significant increase in rate (128 to 133 CC/min) in the no intervention arm over the scenario duration (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant drop in CC depth over a 12-minute cardiac arrest scenario with 2 team members providing compressions.

Accuracy of ultrasonography for determining successful realignment of pediatric forearm fractures.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this study is to assess the accuracy of point-of-care ultrasonography compared with blinded orthopedic assessment of fluoroscopy in determining successful realignment of pediatric forearm fractures. The secondary objective is to determine the rate of agreement of ultrasonography and fluoroscopy in real-time by the treating physician. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in children younger than 18 years and presenting to an academic emergency department with forearm fractures requiring realignment of a single bone. Physicians performed closed reductions with ultrasonographic assessment of realignment until the best possible reduction was achieved. Fluoroscopy was then immediately performed and images were saved. A positive test result was defined as an inadequately reduced fracture on fluoroscopy by a blinded pediatric orthopedic surgeon (reference standard) and on ultrasonography (index test) and fluoroscopy in real-time by the treating physician. RESULTS: One hundred patients were enrolled (median age 12.1 years; 74% male patients); the radius was involved in 98%, with 27% involving the growth plate. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 50% (95% confidence interval [CI] 15.4% to 84.6%), 89.1% (95% CI 82.8% to 95.5%), 28.6% (95% CI 4.9% to 52.2%), and 95.3% (95% CI 90.9% to 99.8%), respectively. The treating physicians' agreement rate of the real-time images was 98%. CONCLUSION: Point-of-care ultrasonography can help emergency physicians determine when pediatric forearm fractures have been adequately realigned, but inadequate reductions should be confirmed by other imaging modalities.

Pediatric crisis resource management training improves emergency medicine trainees' perceived ability to manage emergencies and ability to identify teamwork errors.

OBJECTIVES: Improved pediatric crisis resource management (CRM) training is needed in emergency medicine residencies because of the variable nature of exposure to critically ill pediatric patients during training. We created a short, needs-based pediatric CRM simulation workshop with postactivity follow-up to determine retention of CRM knowledge. Our aims were to provide a realistic learning experience for residents and to help the learners recognize common errors in teamwork and improve their perceived abilities to manage ill pediatric patients. METHODS: Residents participated in a 4-hour objectives-based workshop derived from a formal needs assessment. To quantify their subjective abilities to manage pediatric cases, the residents completed a postworkshop survey (with a retrospective precomponent to assess perceived change). Ability to identify CRM errors was determined via a written assessment of scripted errors in a prerecorded video observed before and 1 month after completion of the workshop. RESULTS: Fifteen of the 16 eligible emergency medicine residents (postgraduate year 1-5) attended the workshop and completed the surveys. There were significant differences in 15 of 16 retrospective pre to post survey items using the Wilcoxon rank sum test for non-parametric data. These included ability to be an effective team leader in general (P < 0.008), delegating tasks appropriately (P < 0.009), and ability to ensure closed-loop communication (P < 0.008). There was a significant improvement in identification of CRM errors through the use of the video assessment from 3 of the 12 CRM errors to 7 of the 12 CRM errors (P < 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: The pediatric CRM simulation-based workshop improved the residents' self-perceptions of their pediatric CRM abilities and improved their performance on a video assessment task.

Implementation of a North American pediatric emergency medicine simulation curriculum using the virtual resuscitation room.

Background: Simulation provides consistent opportunities for residents to practice high-stakes, low-frequency events such as pediatric resuscitations. To increase standardization across North American residency programs, the Emergency Medicine Resident Simulation Curriculum for Pediatrics (EM ReSCu Peds) was developed. However, access to high-quality simulation/pediatric expertise is not uniform. As the concurrent COVID-19 pandemic necessitated new virtual simulation methods, we adapted the Virtual Resus Room (VRR) to teach EM ReSCu Peds. VRR is an award-winning, low-resource, open-access distance telesimulation platform we hypothesize will be effective and scalable for teaching this curriculum. Methods: EM residents completed six VRR EM ReSCu Peds simulation cases and received immediate facilitator-led teledebriefing. Learners completed retrospective pre-post surveys after each case. Learners and facilitators completed end-of-day surveys. Primary outcomes were learning effectiveness measured by a composite of the Simulation Effectiveness in Teaching Modified (SET-M) tool and self-reported changes in learner comfort with case objectives. Secondary outcome was VRR scalability to teach EM ReSCu Peds using a composite outcome of net promoter scores (NPS), resource utilization, open-text feedback, and technical issues. Results: Learners reported significantly increased comfort with 95% (54/57) of EM ReSCu Peds-defined case objectives (91% cognitive, 9% psychomotor), with moderate (Cohen's d 0.71, 95% CI 0.67-0.76) overall effect size. SET-M responses indicated simulation effectiveness, particularly with debriefing. Ninety EM residents from three North American residency programs were taught by 59 pediatric faculty from six programs over 4 days-more than possible if simulations were conducted in person. Learners (39) and faculty (68) NPS were above software industry benchmarks (13). Minor, quickly resolved, technical issues were reported by 18% and 29% of learners and facilitators, respectively. Conclusions: Learners and facilitators report that the VRR is an effective and scalable platform to teach EM ReSCu Peds. This low-cost, accessible distance simulation intervention could increase equitable, global access to high-quality pediatric emergency education.

A debriefing tool to acquire non-technical skills in trauma courses.

Objective: The study reports the use of a nominal group technique (NGT) to evaluate the PEARLS Healthcare debriefing tool as a tool to foster non-technical skills in trauma simulation courses. Additionally, it introduces a debriefing card to be used in trauma courses. Design: A nominal group technique was used to evaluate the main strategies for PEARLS. The experts had the opportunity to share their opinions in an online survey and online meeting. Results: Seven participants participated in the nominal group. Based on the online survey results, the self-assessment debriefing strategy (from PEARLS) was rated 4.83/5 in relevance, the focused facilitation 5/5, and the provision of information 4.5/5. Participants felt that PEARLS was appropriate and useful for fostering non-technical skills: all the debriefing strategies contained in PEARLS were felt to be valid and worth using; and cue cards for the instructors were suggested to assist them in conducting structured formal debriefings. A specific debriefing tool for trauma scenarios was designed based on these suggestions, which is presented in this article. Conclusion: A nominal group of experts in education, simulation, and trauma support PEARLS strategies for non-technical skills training in trauma courses.

Decontamination effectiveness and the necessity of innovation in a large-scale disaster simulation.

BACKGROUND: Chemical, biological, radiologic, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) events threaten the health and integrity of human populations across the globe. Effective decontamination is a central component of CBRNE disaster response. OBJECTIVE: This paper provides an objective determination of wet decontamination effectiveness through the use of a liquid-based contaminant proxy and describes the mobilization and adaptation of easily available materials for the needs of decontamination in pediatric victims. METHODS: In this in-situ disaster simulation conducted at a pediatric hospital, decontamination effectiveness was determined through a liquid-based contaminant proxy, and standard burn charts to systematically estimate affected total body surface area (TBSA) in 39 adult simulated patients. Two independent raters evaluated TBSA covered by the contaminant before and after decontamination. RESULTS: On average, simulated patients had 59 percent (95 percent CI [53, 65]) of their TBSA covered by the simulated contaminant prior to decontamination. Following a wet decontamination protocol, the average reduction in TBSA contamination was 81 percent (95 percent CI [74, 88]). There was high inter-rater reliability for TBSA assessment (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.83, 95 percent CI [0.68, 0.92]. A modified infant bath was tested during the simulated decontamination of infant mannequins and thereafter integrated to the local protocol. CONCLUSION: Wet decontamination can remove more than 80 percent of the initial contaminant found on adult simulated patients. The use of a liquid-based visual tool as a contaminant proxy enables the inexpensive evaluation of decontamination performance in a simulated setting. This paper also describes an innovative, low-cost adaptation of a local decontamination protocol to better meet pediatric needs.

Creation of a standardized pediatric emergency medicine simulation curriculum for emergency medicine residents.

BACKGROUND: The majority of children seeking care in emergency departments are seen by general emergency medicine (EM) residency program graduates. Throughout training, EM residents manage fewer critically ill pediatric patients compared to adults, and the exposure to children with illness and injury requiring emergent assessment and management is often limited and sporadic across training sites. This report describes the creation of a robust set of simulation cases for EM trainees incorporating topics identified during a previous modified Delphi study to improve their pediatric acute care knowledge and skills. METHODS: All 30 pediatric EM topics and 19/26 procedures previously identified as "must be taught by simulation" to EM residents were mapped to 15 simulation case topics. Twenty-seven authors from 16 institutions created cases and supporting materials. Each case was iteratively implemented during a peer review process at two to five sites with EM residents. Feedback from learners and facilitators was collected via electronic surveys and used to revise each case before the next implementation. RESULTS: Thirty-five institutions participated in the peer review process. Fifty-one facilitators and 281 participants (90% EM residents) completed surveys. Most facilitators (98%) agreed or strongly agreed with the statement "This simulation case is relevant to the field of emergency medicine." A majority of facilitators and participants agreed or strongly agreed with the statements "The simulation case was realistic" (98% of facilitators, 94% of participants) and "This simulation case was effective in teaching resuscitation skills" (92% of facilitators, 98% of participants). Most participants reported confidence in knowledge and skills addressed in the learning objectives after participation. CONCLUSIONS: Facilitators and EM residents found cases from a novel simulation-based curriculum covering critical pediatric EM topics relevant, realistic, and effective. This curriculum can help provide a standardized, uniform experience for EM residents who will care for critically ill pediatric patients in their communities.

Errors During Resuscitation: The Impact of Perceived Authority on Delivery of Care.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the influence of perceived authority on pediatric resuscitation teams' response to an incorrect order given by a medical superior. METHODS: As part of a larger multicenter prospective interventional study, interprofessional pediatric resuscitation teams (n = 48) participated in a video-recorded simulated resuscitation scenario with an infant in unstable, refractory supraventricular tachycardia. A confederate actor playing a senior physician entered the scenario partway through and ordered the incorrect dose and delivery method of the antiarrhythmic, procainamide. Video recordings were analyzed with a modified Advocacy Inquiry Scale, assessing the teams' ability to challenge the incorrect order, and a novel confederate hierarchical demeanor rating. The association between Advocacy Inquiry score and hierarchical demeanor rating, and whether or not the confederate's incorrect order was followed were determined. RESULTS: Fifty percent (n = 24) of resuscitation teams followed the confederate's incorrect order. The teams' ability to challenge the incorrect order (P < 0.0001) and confederate hierarchical demeanor rating (P < 0.05) were significantly associated with whether or not the incorrect order was followed. Significant differences between rates of following the incorrect order at different study sites were observed (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The reluctance of resuscitation teams to appropriately challenge the incorrect order resulted in a high rate of inappropriate medication administration. The rate of teams following the incorrect order was significantly associated with poor challenging of the incorrect order and the hierarchical demeanor of the perceived authority figure. Institution-based factors may impact this rate of incorrect medication administration.

A Modified Delphi Study to Prioritize Content for a Simulation-based Pediatric Curriculum for Emergency Medicine Residency Training Programs.

OBJECTIVES: Pediatric training is an essential component of emergency medicine (EM) residency. The heterogeneity of pediatric experiences poses a significant challenge to training programs. A national simulation curriculum can assist in providing a standardized foundation of pediatric training experience to all EM trainees. Previously, a consensus-derived set of content for a pediatric curriculum for EM was published. This study aimed to prioritize that content to establish a pediatric simulation-based curriculum for all EM residency programs. METHODS: Seventy-three participants were recruited to participate in a three-round modified Delphi project from 10 stakeholder organizations. In round 1, participants ranked 275 content items from a published set of pediatric curricular items for EM residents into one of four categories: definitely must, probably should, possibly could, or should not be taught using simulation in all residency programs. Additionally, in round 1 participants were asked to contribute additional items. These items were then added to the survey in round 2. In round 2, participants were provided the ratings of the entire panel and asked to rerank the items. Round 3 involved participants dichotomously rating the items. RESULTS: A total of 73 participants participated and 98% completed all three rounds. Round 1 resulted in 61 items rated as definitely must, 72 as probably should, 56 as possibly could, 17 as should not, and 99 new items were suggested. Round 2 resulted in 52 items rated as definitely must, 91 as probably should, 120 as possibly could, and 42 as should not. Round 3 resulted in 56 items rated as definitely must be taught using simulation in all programs. CONCLUSIONS: The completed modified Delphi process developed a consensus on 56 pediatric items that definitely must be taught using simulation in all EM residency programs (20 resuscitation, nine nonresuscitation, and 26 skills). These data will serve as a targeted needs assessment to inform the development of a standard pediatric simulation curriculum for all EM residency programs.

Managing the airway catastrophe: longitudinal simulation-based curriculum to teach airway management.

BACKGROUND: A longitudinal curriculum was developed in conjunction with anesthesiologists, otolaryngologists, emergency physicians and experts in medical simulation and education. METHODS: Residents participated in four different simulation-based training modules using animal models, cadavers, task trainers, and crisis scenarios using high fidelity manikins. Scenarios were based on various clinical settings (i.e. emergency room, operating room) and were followed by video-assisted structured debriefings. Participants completed both a self-assessment questionnaire and an exit survey using five-point Likert scales. RESULTS: 31 otolaryngology residents participated in the curriculum. Residents reported simulation training significantly improved technical skills such as tracheostomy, cricothyroidotomy and pediatric intubation (p < 0.05 for all). Non-technical skills, including communication, delegation and management were significantly improved on post-test surveys in simulated crisis scenarios (p < 0.05 for all). 90 (28/31) of participants found simulations to be very realistic. Junior residents placed increased value on didactic teaching and procedural skills, while senior residents on crisis scenarios. Survey results indicated that > 90% (28/31) of participants found the modules of the curriculum to be useful and would recommend them to others. CONCLUSION: A longitudinal simulation-based medical curriculum can be an effective method to teach airway management and teamwork skills to otolaryngology residents.

Sudden cardiac death in association with the ketogenic diet.

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate, adequate-protein diet that is used to decrease the frequency of seizures in patients who have refractory epilepsy. Despite its positive effects in some patients, there are potential adverse effects. Two complications related to the ketogenic diet are selenium deficiency, which has been associated with impaired myocardial function, and QT prolongation as documented on electrocardiography. Reported here are two cases of death in a child on the ketogenic diet for seizure control. In case 1, the child who died of complications related to torsade de pointes, with documented QT prolongation; post mortem examination revealed selenium-deficiency cardiomyopathy. In case 2, a child experienced QT prolongation while on the ketogenic diet and later died suddenly at home. Both children exhibited selenium deficiency. These two cases suggest that patients on the ketogenic diet require monitoring of the QT interval by electrocardiography, myocardial function by echocardiography, and selenium levels before and during the ketogenic diet.

Leadership in crisis situations: merging the interdisciplinary silos.

Purpose Complex clinical situations, involving multiple medical specialists, create potential for tension or lack of clarity over leadership roles and may result in miscommunication, errors and poor patient outcomes. Even though copresence has been shown to overcome some differences among team members, the coordination literature provides little guidance on the relationship between coordination and leadership in highly specialized health settings. The purpose of this paper is to determine how different specialties involved in critical medical situations perceive the role of a leader and its contribution to effective crisis management, to better define leadership and improve interdisciplinary leadership and education. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative study was conducted featuring purposively sampled, semi-structured interviews with 27 physicians, from three different specialties involved in crisis resource management in pediatric centers across Canada: Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Otolaryngology and Anesthesia. A total of three researchers independently organized participant responses into categories. The categories were further refined into conceptual themes through iterative negotiation among the researchers. Findings Relatively "structured" (predictable) cases were amenable to concrete distributed leadership - the performance by micro-teams of specialized tasks with relative independence from each other. In contrast, relatively "unstructured" (unpredictable) cases required higher-level coordinative leadership - the overall management of the context and allocations of priorities by a designated individual. Originality/value Crisis medicine relies on designated leadership over highly differentiated personnel and unpredictable events. This challenges the notion of organic coordination and upholds the validity of a concept of leadership for crisis medicine that is not reducible to simple coordination. The intersection of predictability of cases with types of leadership can be incorporated into medical simulation training to develop non-technical skills crisis management and adaptive leaderships skills.

Interdisciplinary Crisis Resource Management Training: How Do Otolaryngology Residents Compare? A Survey Study.

OBJECTIVE: Emergent medical crises, such as acute airway obstruction, are often managed by interdisciplinary teams. However, resident training in crisis resource management traditionally occurs in silos. Our objective was to compare the current state of interdisciplinary crisis resource management (IDCRM) training of otolaryngology residents with other disciplines. METHODS: A survey study examining (1) the frequency with which residents are involved in interdisciplinary crises, (2) the current state of interdisciplinary training, and (3) the desired training was conducted targeting Canadian residents in the following disciplines: otolaryngology, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, internal medicine, pediatric emergency medicine, and pediatric/neonatal intensive care. RESULTS: A total of 474 surveys were completed (response rate, 12%). On average, residents were involved in 13 interdisciplinary crises per year. Only 8% of otolaryngology residents had access to IDCRM training, as opposed to 66% of anesthesiology residents. Otolaryngology residents reported receiving an average of 0.3 hours per year of interdisciplinary training, as compared with 5.4 hours per year for pediatric emergency medicine residents. Ninety-six percent of residents desired more IDCRM training, with 95% reporting a preference for simulation-based training. DISCUSSION: Residents reported participating in crises managed by interdisciplinary teams. There is strong interest in IDCRM and crisis resource management training; however, it is not uniformly available across Canadian residency programs. Despite their pivotal role in managing critical emergencies such as acute airway obstruction, otolaryngology residents received the least training. IMPLICATION: IDCRM should be explicitly taught since it reflects reality and may positively affect patient outcomes.

Impact of a CPR feedback device on healthcare provider workload during simulated cardiac arrest.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to describe the differences in workload between team leaders and CPR providers during a simulated pediatric cardiac arrest, to evaluate the impact of a CPR feedback device on provider workload, and to describe the association between provider workload and the quality of CPR. METHODS: We conducted secondary analysis of data from a randomized trial comparing CPR quality in teams with and without use of a real-time visual CPR feedback device [1]. Healthcare providers (team leaders and CPR providers) completed the NASA Task Load Index survey after participating in a simulated cardiac arrest scenario. The effect of provider roles and real-time feedback on workload were compared with independent t-tests. RESULTS: Team leaders reported higher levels of mental demand, temporal demand, performance-related workload and frustration, while CPR providers reported comparatively higher physical workload. CPR providers reported significantly higher average workload (control 58.5 vs. feedback 62.3; p = 0.035) with real-time feedback provided compared to the group without feedback. Providers with high workloads (average score >60) had an increased percentage of time with guideline-compliant CPR depth versus those with low workloads (average score <60) (p = 0.034). CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare providers reported high workloads during a simulated pediatric cardiac arrest. Physical and mental workloads differed based on provider role. CPR providers using a CPR feedback device reported increased average workloads. The quality of CPR improved with higher reported physical workloads.

Invoking the "expectant" triage category: Can we make the paradigm shift?

Medical triage is the process of determining the priority of patients' treatments based on the severity of their condition. Triage provides the healthcare provider the ability to identify the most urgent cases first, with the goal of maximizing each individual patient's outcome. When resources are challenged, such as in a disaster, the healthcare provider's goal becomes to maximize overall population survival. In this context, the triage process must identify patients who require resources urgently, as well as those who have the best chance of survival. The revised triage process must include an "expectant management" category, to identify patients for whom further resuscitation is delayed, as they have a poor chance of survival and require significant resources. The paradigm shift that is required in these circumstances can be challenging for pediatric healthcare providers. Many may find themselves unable to change the decision-making process that would favor overall survival and best outcome for the most members of a population, while potentially not addressing the most sick or injured because they have low chances of survival. We hypothesized that participating in a multiprofessional ethics-based educational session regarding making difficult triage decisions may improve participants' perceived ability to use the "expectant" triage category in a disaster setting. Participants took part in an ethics-based educational session and completed a pre- and postsurvey. Results demonstrated a significant change in the participants' self-perceived comfort level using the disaster triage tools and improved their confidence to use the expectant triage category in a disaster setting.

Error Detection-Based Model to Assess Educational Outcomes in Crisis Resource Management Training: A Pilot Study.

Otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (OTL-HNS) residents face a variety of difficult, high-stress situations, which may occur early in their training. Since these events occur infrequently, simulation-based learning has become an important part of residents' training and is already well established in fields such as anesthesia and emergency medicine. In the domain of OTL-HNS, it is gradually gaining in popularity. Crisis Resource Management (CRM), a program adapted from the aviation industry, aims to improve outcomes of crisis situations by attempting to mitigate human errors. Some examples of CRM principles include cultivating situational awareness; promoting proper use of available resources; and improving rapid decision making, particularly in high-acuity, low-frequency clinical situations. Our pilot project sought to integrate CRM principles into an airway simulation course for OTL-HNS residents, but most important, it evaluated whether learning objectives were met, through use of a novel error identification model.

The Steinberg Centre for Simulation and Interactive Learning at McGill University.

Simulation allows for learner-centered health professions training by providing a safe environment to practice and make mistakes without jeopardizing patient care. It was with this goal in mind that the McGill Medical Simulation Center was officially opened on September 14, 2006, as a partnership between McGill University, the Faculty of Medicine and its affiliated hospitals. Its mandate is to provide state-of-the-art facilities to support simulation-based medical and allied health education initiatives. Since its inception, the center, recently renamed the Steinberg Center for Simulation and Interactive Learning (SCSIL), has undergone a major expansion and logged more than 130,000 learner visits. Educational activities are offered at all levels of medical and allied health care training, and include standardized patient encounters, partial task trainers, multidisciplinary courses, and high-fidelity trainers, among many others. In addition to its educational mandate, the center also supports an active research program, programs to enhance collaboration with disciplines outside of health care to spur innovation, and community outreach initiatives.

Are Pediatric Emergency Physicians More Knowledgeable and Confident to Respond to a Pediatric Disaster after an Experiential Learning Experience?

OBJECTIVES: Pediatric hospital disaster responders must be well-trained and prepared to manage children in a mass-casualty incident. Simulations of various types have been the traditional way of testing hospital disaster plans and training hospital staff in skills that are used in rare circumstances. The objective of this longitudinal, survey-based, observational study was to assess the effect of disaster response and management-based experiential learning on the knowledge and confidence of advanced learners. METHODS: A simulation-based workshop was created for practicing Pediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM) physicians, senior PEM physicians, and critical care and pediatric surgery residents to learn how to manage a disaster response. Given that this particular group of learners had never been exposed to such a disaster simulation, its educational value was assessed with the goal of improving the quality of the hospital pediatric medical response to a disaster by increasing the responders' knowledge and confidence. Objective and subjective measures were analyzed using both a retrospective, pre-post survey, as well as case-based evaluation grids. RESULTS: The simulation workshop improved the learners' perceived ability to manage patients in a disaster context and identified strengths and areas needing improvement for patient care within the disaster context. CONCLUSION: Advanced learners exposed to an experiential learning activity believed that it improved their ability to manage patients in a disaster situation and felt that it was valuable to their learning. Their confidence was preserved six months later. Bank I , Khalil E . Are pediatric emergency physicians more knowledgeable and confident to respond to a pediatric disaster after an experiential learning experience? Prehosp Disaster Med. 2016;31(5):551-556.

An Approach to Confederate Training Within the Context of Simulation-Based Research.

STATEMENT: Simulation-based education often relies on confederates, who provide information or perform clinical tasks during simulation scenarios, to play roles. Although there is experience with confederates in their more routine performance within educational programs, there is little literature on the training of confederates in the context of simulation-based research. The CPR CARES multicenter research study design included 2 confederate roles, in which confederates' behavior was tightly scripted to avoid confounding primary outcome measures. In this report, we describe our training process, our method of adherence assessment, and suggest next steps regarding confederate training scholarship.

Determining content for a simulation-based curriculum in pediatric emergency medicine: results from a national Delphi process.

OBJECTIVES: By the end of residency training, pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) residents are expected to have developed the confidence and abilities required to manage acutely ill children. Acquisition of competence requires exposure and/or supplemental formal education for critical and noncritical medical clinical presentations. Simulation can provide experiential learning and can improve trainees' knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The primary objective of this project was to identify the content for a simulation-based national curriculum for PEM training. METHODS: We recruited participants for the Delphi study by contacting current PEM program directors and immediate past program directors as well as simulation experts at all of the Canadian PEM fellowship sites. We determined the appropriate core content for the Delphi study by combining the PEM core content requirements of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) and the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP). Using the Delphi method, we achieved consensus amongst the national group of PEM and simulation experts. The participants completed a three-round Delphi (using a four-point Likert scale). RESULTS: Response rates for the Delphi were 85% for the first round and 77% for second and third rounds. From the initial 224 topics, 53 were eliminated (scored <2). Eighty-five topics scored between 2 and 3, and 87 scored between 3 and 4. The 48 topics, which were scored between 3.5 and 4.0, were labeled as "key curriculum topics." CONCLUSION: We have iteratively identified a consensus for the content of a national simulation-based curriculum.