Multidisciplinary in-situ simulation to evaluate a rare but high-risk process at a level 1 trauma centre: the "Mega-Sim" approach

Summary: Multidisciplinary simulation has been used to successfully teach crisis resource management in operating room and emergency department settings. This article describes a "Mega-Sim" approach using an in-situ simulation that moves among multiple hospital departments to enhance multidisciplinary training and assess institutional response to a rare but high-risk event: trauma in a pregnant patient. It appears that a Mega-Sim can be used to identify systems issues, increase medical knowledge and improve perceptions of teamwork and communication within and among hospital departments.

Simulation in the Continuing Professional Development of Academic Emergency Physicians: A Canadian National Survey.

INTRODUCTION: Simulation is becoming a popular educational modality for physician continuing professional development (CPD). This study sought to characterize how simulation-based CPD (SBCPD) is being used in Canada and what academic emergency physicians (AEPs) desire in an SBCPD program. METHODS: Two national surveys were conducted from March to June 2018. First, the SBCPD Needs Assessment Survey was administered online to all full-time AEPs across 9 Canadian academic emergency medicine (EM) sites. Second, the SBCPD Status Survey was administered by telephone to the department representatives (DRs)-simulation directors or equivalent-at 20 Canadian academic EM sites. RESULTS: Response rates for the SBCPD Needs Assessment and the SBCPD Status Survey were 40% (252/635) and 100% (20/20) respectively. Sixty percent of Canadian academic EM sites reported using SBCPD, although only 30% reported dedicated funding support. Academic emergency physician responses demonstrated a median annual SBCPD of 3 hours. Reported incentivization for SBCPD participation varied with AEPs reporting less incentivization than DRs. Academic emergency physicians identified time commitments outside of shift, lack of opportunities, and lack of departmental funding as their top barriers to participation, whereas DRs thought AEPs fear of peer judgment and inexperience with simulation were substantial barriers. Content areas of interest for SBCPD were as follows: rare procedures, pediatric resuscitation, and neonatal resuscitation. Lastly, interprofessional involvement in SBCPD was valued by both DRs and AEPs. CONCLUSIONS: Simulation-based CPD programs are becoming common in Canadian academic EM sites. Our findings will guide program coordinators in addressing barriers to participation, selecting content, and determining the frequency of SBCPD events.

Simulation-based research in emergency medicine in Canada: Priorities and perspectives.

OBJECTIVE: Simulation plays an integral role in the Canadian healthcare system with applications in quality improvement, systems development, and medical education. High-quality, simulation-based research will ensure its effective use. This study sought to summarize simulation-based research activity and its facilitators and barriers, as well as establish priorities for simulation-based research in Canadian emergency medicine (EM). METHODS: Simulation-leads from Canadian departments or divisions of EM associated with a general FRCP-EM training program surveyed and documented active EM simulation-based research at their institutions and identified the perceived facilitators and barriers. Priorities for simulation-based research were generated by simulation-leads via a second survey; these were grouped into themes and finally endorsed by consensus during an in-person meeting of simulation leads. Priority themes were also reviewed by senior simulation educators. RESULTS: Twenty simulation-leads representing all 14 invited institutions participated in the study between February and May, 2018. Sixty-two active, simulation-based research projects were identified (median per institution = 4.5, IQR 4), as well as six common facilitators and five barriers. Forty-nine priorities for simulation-based research were reported and summarized into eight themes: simulation in competency-based medical education, simulation for inter-professional learning, simulation for summative assessment, simulation for continuing professional development, national curricular development, best practices in simulation-based education, simulation-based education outcomes, and simulation as an investigative methodology. CONCLUSION: This study summarized simulation-based research activity in EM in Canada, identified its perceived facilitators and barriers, and built national consensus on priority research themes. This represents the first step in the development of a simulation-based research agenda specific to Canadian EM.