Pharmacological agents for procedural sedation and analgesia in the emergency department and intensive care unit: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised trials.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate the comparative effectiveness and safety of various i.v. pharmacologic agents used for procedural sedation and analgesia (PSA) in the emergency department (ED) and ICU. We performed a systematic review and network meta-analysis to enable direct and indirect comparisons between available medications. METHODS: We searched Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane, and PubMed from inception to 2 March 2023 for RCTs comparing two or more procedural sedation and analgesia medications in all patients (adults and children >30 days of age) requiring emergent procedures in the ED or ICU. We focused on the outcomes of sedation recovery time, patient satisfaction, and adverse events (AEs). We performed frequentist random-effects model network meta-analysis and used the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach to rate certainty in estimates. RESULTS: We included 82 RCTs (8105 patients, 78 conducted in the ED and four in the ICU) of which 52 studies included adults, 23 included children, and seven included both. Compared with midazolam-opioids, recovery time was shorter with propofol (mean difference 16.3 min, 95% confidence interval [CI] 8.4-24.3 fewer minutes; high certainty), and patient satisfaction was better with ketamine-propofol (mean difference 1.5 points, 95% CI 0.3-2.6 points, high certainty). Regarding AEs, compared with midazolam-opioids, respiratory AEs were less frequent with ketamine (relative risk [RR] 0.55, 95% CI 0.32-0.96; high certainty), gastrointestinal AEs were more common with ketamine-midazolam (RR 3.08, 95% CI 1.15-8.27; high certainty), and neurological AEs were more common with ketamine-propofol (RR 3.68, 95% CI 1.08-12.53; high certainty). CONCLUSION: When considering procedural sedation and analgesia in the ED and ICU, compared with midazolam-opioids, sedation recovery time is shorter with propofol, patient satisfaction is better with ketamine-propofol, and respiratory adverse events are less common with ketamine.

Perfecting practice: a protocol for assessing simulation-based mastery learning and deliberate practice versus self-guided practice for bougie-assisted cricothyroidotomy performance.

BACKGROUND: Simulation-based medical education (SBME) is a cornerstone for procedural skill training in residency education. Multiple studies have concluded that SBME is highly effective, superior to traditional clinical education, and translates to improved patient outcomes. Additionally it is widely accepted that mastery learning, which comprises deliberate practice, is essential for expert level performance for routine skills; however, given that highly structured practice is more time and resource-intensive, it is important to assess its value for the acquisition of rarely performed technical skills. The bougie-assisted cricothyroidotomy (BAC), a rarely performed, lifesaving procedure, is an ideal skill for evaluating the utility of highly structured practice as it is relevant across many acute care specialties and rare - making it unlikely for learners to have had significant previous training or clinical experience. The purpose of this study is to compare a modified mastery learning approach with deliberate practice versus self-guided practice on technical skill performance using a bougie-assisted cricothyroidotomy model. METHODS: A multi-centre, randomized study will be conducted at four Canadian and one American residency programs with 160 residents assigned to either mastery learning and deliberate practice (ML + DP), or self-guided practice for BAC. Skill performance, using a global rating scale, will be assessed before, immediately after practice, and 6 months later. The two groups will be compared to assess whether the type of practice impacts performance and skill retention. DISCUSSION: Mastery learning coupled with deliberate practice provides systematic and focused feedback during skill acquisition. However, it is resource-intensive and its efficacy is not fully defined. This multi-centre study will provide generalizable data about the utility of highly structured practice for technical skill acquisition of a rare, lifesaving procedure within postgraduate medical education. Study findings will guide educators in the selection of an optimal training strategy, addressing both short and long term performance.

Prognostic factors associated with risk of stroke following blunt cerebrovascular injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Blunt cerebrovascular injury (BCVI) includes carotid and/or vertebral artery injury following trauma, and conveys an increased stroke risk. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to provide a comprehensive summary of prognostic factors associated with risk of stroke following BCVI. METHODS: We searched the EMBASE and MEDLINE databases from January 1946 to June 2023. We identified studies reporting associations between patient or injury factors and risk of stroke following BCVI. We performed meta-analyses of odds ratios (ORs) using the random effects method and assessed individual study risk of bias using the QUIPS tool. We separately pooled adjusted and unadjusted analyses, highlighting the estimate with the higher certainty. RESULTS: We included 26 cohort studies, involving 20,458 patients with blunt trauma. The overall incidence of stroke following BCVI was 7.7 %. Studies were predominantly retrospective cohorts from North America and included both carotid and vertebral artery injuries. Diagnosis of BCVI was most commonly confirmed with CT angiography. We demonstrated with moderate to high certainty that factors associated with increased risk of stroke included carotid artery injury (as compared to vertebral artery injury, unadjusted odds ratio [uOR] 1.94, 95 % CI 1.62 to 2.32), Grade III Injury (as compared to grade I or II) (uOR 2.45, 95 % CI 1.88 to 3.20), Grade IV injury (uOR 3.09, 95 % CI 2.20 to 4.35), polyarterial injury (uOR 3.11 (95 % CI 2.05 to 4.72), occurrence of hypotension at the time of hospital admission (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.32, 95 % CI 0.87 to 2.03) and higher total body injury severity (aOR 5.91, 95 % CI 1.90 to 18.39). CONCLUSION: Local anatomical injury pattern, overall burden of injury and flow dynamics contribute to BCVI-related stroke risk. These findings provide the foundational evidence base for risk stratification to support clinical decision making and further research.

An Individual Barrier Enclosure Actively Removing Aerosols for Airborne Isolation: A Vacuum Tent.

BACKGROUND: Aerosol barrier enclosure systems have been designed to prevent airborne contamination, but their safety has been questioned. A vacuum tent was designed with active continuous suctioning to minimize risks of aerosol dispersion. We tested its efficacy, risk of rebreathing, and usability on a bench, in healthy volunteers, and in an ergonomic clinical assessment study. METHODS: First, a manikin with airway connected to a breathing simulator was placed inside the vacuum tent to generate active breathing, cough, and CO2 production; high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) was applied in the manikin's nares. Negative pressure was applied in the vacuum tent's apex port using wall suction. Fluorescent microparticles were aerosolized in the vacuum tent for qualitative assessment. To quantify particles inside and around vacuum tent (aerosol retention), an airtight aerosol chamber with aerosolized latex microparticles was used. The vacuum tent was tested on healthy volunteers breathing with and without HFNC. Last, its usability was assessed in 5 subjects by 5 different anesthesiologists for delivery of full anesthesia, including intubation and extubation. RESULTS: The vacuum tent was adjusted until no leak was visualized using fluorescent particles. The efficacy in retaining microparticles was confirmed quantitatively. CO2 accumulation inside the vacuum tent showed an inverse correlation with the suction flow in all conditions (normal breathing and HFNC 30 or 60 L/min) in bench and healthy volunteers. Particle removal efficacy and safe breathing conditions (CO2, temperature) were reached when suctioning was at least 60 L/min or 20 L/min > HFNC flow. Five subjects were successfully intubated and anesthetized without ergonomic difficulties and with minimal interference with workflow and an excellent overall assessment by the anesthesiologists. CONCLUSIONS: The vacuum tent effectively minimized aerosol dispersion. Its continuous suction system set at a high suction flow was crucial to avoid the spread of aerosol particles and CO2 rebreathing.

The complex relationships involved in global health: a qualitative description.

BACKGROUND: Growing numbers of medical trainees now participate in global health experiences (GHEs) during their training. To enhance these experiences we sought to explore expectations inherent in the relationships between GHE stakeholder groups. METHODS: 20 open-ended, semi-structured interviews probed participant perceptions and assumptions embedded in GHEs. A fundamental qualitative descriptive approach was applied, with conventional content analysis and constant comparison methods, to identify and refine emerging themes. Thematic structure was finalized when saturation was achieved. Participants all had experience as global health participants (10 trainees, 10 professionals) from an urban, academic, Canadian medical centre. RESULTS: We identified three stakeholder groups: participants (trainees and professionals), host communities, and sponsoring institutions. During interviews, four major themes emerged: (i) cultural challenges, (ii) expectations and perceptions, (iii) relationships and communication, and (iv) discordant objectives. Within each theme, participants recurrently described tensions existing between the three stakeholder groups. CONCLUSIONS: GHE participants frequently face substantial tensions with host communities and sponsoring agencies. Trainees are particularly vulnerable as they lack experience to navigate these tensions. In the design of GHEs, the needs of each group must be considered to ensure that benefits outweigh potential harms. We propose a conceptual model for developing educational objectives that acknowledge all three GHE stakeholder groups.

Beyond crisis resource management: new frontiers in human factors training for acute care medicine.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Error is ubiquitous in medicine, particularly during critical events and resuscitation. A significant proportion of adverse events can be attributed to inadequate team-based skills such as communication, leadership, situation awareness and resource utilization. Aviation-based crisis resource management (CRM) training using high-fidelity simulation has been proposed as a strategy to improve team behaviours. This review will address key considerations in CRM training and outline recommendations for the future of human factors education in healthcare. RECENT FINDINGS: A critical examination of the current literature yields several important considerations to guide the development and implementation of effective simulation-based CRM training. These include defining a priori domain-specific objectives, creating an immersive environment that encourages deliberate practice and transfer-appropriate processing, and the importance of effective team debriefing. Building on research from high-risk industry, we suggest that traditional CRM training may be augmented with new training techniques that promote the development of shared mental models for team and task processes, address the effect of acute stress on team performance, and integrate strategies to improve clinical reasoning and the detection of cognitive errors. SUMMARY: The evolution of CRM training involves a 'Triple Threat' approach that integrates mental model theory for team and task processes, training for stressful situations and metacognition and error theory towards a more comprehensive training paradigm, with roots in high-risk industry and cognitive psychology. Further research is required to evaluate the impact of this approach on patient-oriented outcomes.

Massive Hemorrhage Protocol: A Practical Approach to the Bleeding Trauma Patient.

Damage-control resuscitation is the standard of care for the hemorrhaging trauma patient. This approach combines rapid hemostasis and early-ratio-based blood product administration. These patients often require initiation of a massive hemorrhage protocol to support the systematic and coordinated delivery of care during this critical phase of resuscitation. Emerging evidence supports that this includes more than blood product administration alone but rather a comprehensive suite of treatments. In this article, we review the existing evidence and provide a pragmatic framework, the 7 Ts of massive hemorrhage protocol, to guide the care of patients with life-threatening traumatic hemorrhage.

Are we talking about practice? A randomized study comparing simulation-based deliberate practice and mastery learning to self-guided practice.

OBJECTIVES: Simulation-based technical skills training is now ubiquitous in medicine, particularly for high acuity, low occurrence (HALO) procedures. Mastery learning and deliberate practice (ML + DP) are potentially valuable educational methods, however, they are resource intensive. We sought to compare the effect of deliberate practice and mastery learning versus self-guided practice on skill performance of the rare, life-saving procedure, a bougie-assisted cricothyroidotomy (BAC). METHODS: We conducted a multi-center, randomized study at five North American emergency medicine (EM) residency programs. We randomly assigned 176 EM residents to either the ML + DP or self-guided practice groups. Three blinded airway experts independently evaluated BAC skill performance by video review before (pre-test), after (post-test) and 6-12 months (retention) after the training session. The primary outcome was post-test skill performance using a global rating score (GRS). Secondary outcomes included performance time and skill performance at the retention test. RESULTS: Immediately following training, GRS scores were significantly higher as mean performance improved from pre-test, (22, 95% CI = 21-23) to post-test (27, 95% CI = 26-28), (p < 0.001) for all participants. However, there was no difference between the groups on GRS scores (p = 0.2) at the post-test or at the retention test (p = 0.2). At the retention test, participants in the ML + DP group had faster performance times (66 s, 95% CI = 57-74) compared to the self-guided group (77 s, 95% CI = 67-86), (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference in skill performance between groups. Residents who received deliberate practice and mastery learning demonstrated an improvement in skill performance time.

ABSTRAIT: OBJECTIFS: La formation aux compétences techniques fondée sur la simulation est maintenant omniprésente en médecine, en particulier pour les procédures de grande acuité et de faible occurrence (HALO). L'apprentissage de la maîtrise et la pratique délibérée (ML+DP) sont des méthodes éducatives potentiellement précieuses, mais elles exigent beaucoup de ressources. Nous avons cherché à comparer l'effet de la pratique délibérée et de l'apprentissage de la maîtrise par rapport à la pratique autoguidée sur le rendement des compétences de la rare intervention de sauvetage, une cricothyroïdotomie à la bougie. MéTHODES: Nous avons mené une étude multicentrique randomisée dans le cadre de cinq programmes nord-américains de résidence en médecine d'urgence. Nous avons affecté au hasard 176 résidents en SE aux groupes de ML+DP ou de pratique autoguidée. Trois experts des voies respiratoires aveuglés ont évalué de façon indépendante la performance des compétences en BAC par examen vidéo avant (pré-test), après (post-test) et 6 à 12 mois (rétention) après la séance de formation. Le principal résultat a été le rendement des compétences après le test au moyen d'une cote globale (SRC). Les résultats secondaires comprenaient le temps consacré au rendement et le rendement des compétences au test de rétention. RéSULTATS: Immédiatement après la formation, les résultats des SRC étaient beaucoup plus élevés, car le rendement moyen s'est amélioré entre le prétest (22, IC à 95 % = 21 à 23) et le post-test (27, IC à 95 % = 26 à 28), (p < 0,001) pour tous les participants. Cependant, il n'y avait aucune différence entre les groupes sur les scores GRS (p = 0,2) au post-test ou au test de rétention (p = 0,2). Au test de rétention, les participants du groupe ML+DP avaient des temps de performance plus rapides (66 secondes, IC à 95 % = 57 à 74) que ceux du groupe autoguidé (77 secondes, IC à 95 % = 67 à 86) (p < 0,01). CONCLUSIONS: Il n'y avait pas de différence significative dans le rendement des compétences entre les groupes. Les résidents qui ont bénéficié d'une pratique délibérée et d'un apprentissage de la maîtrise ont démontré une amélioration du temps consacré aux compétences.

Introducing the Safety Threats and Adverse events in Trauma (STAT) taxonomy: standardized classification system for evaluating safety during trauma resuscitation.

PURPOSE: Adverse events (AEs) during trauma resuscitation are common and heterogeneity in reporting limits comparisons between hospitals and systems. A recent modified Delphi study established a taxonomy of AEs that occur during trauma resuscitation. This tool was further refined to yield the Safety Threats and Adverse events in Trauma (STAT) taxonomy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the inter-rater reliability of the STAT taxonomy using in-situ simulation resuscitations. METHODS: Two reviewers utilized the STAT taxonomy to score 12 in-situ simulated trauma resuscitations. AEs were reported for each simulation and timestamped in the case of multiple occurrences of a single AE. Inter-rater reliability was assessed using Gwet's AC1. RESULTS: The agreement on all AEs between reviewers was 90.1% (973/1080). The Gwet's AC1 across AE categories were: EMS handover (median 0.72, IQR [0.54, 0.82]), airway and breathing (median 0.91, IQR [0.60, 1.0]), circulation (median 0.91, IQR [0.72, 1.0]), assessment of injuries (median 0.80, IQR [0.24, 0.91]), management of injuries (median 1.00, IQR [1.00, 1.00]), procedure related (median 1.00, IQR [81, 1.00]), patient monitoring and IV access (median 1.00, IQR [1.00, 1.00]), disposition (median 1.00, IQR [1.00, 1.00]), team communication and dynamics (median 0.80, IQR [0.62, 1.00]). CONCLUSIONS: The STAT taxonomy yielded 90.1% agreement and demonstrated excellent inter-rater reliability between reviewers in the in-situ simulation scenario. The STAT taxonomy may serve as a standardized evaluation tool of latent safety threats and adverse events in the trauma bay. Future work should focus on applying this tool to live trauma patients.

Is in situ simulation in emergency medicine safe? A scoping review.

OBJECTIVES: To provide an overview of the available evidence regarding the safety of in situ simulation (ISS) in the emergency department (ED). DESIGN: Scoping review. METHODS: Original articles published before March 2021 were included if they investigated the use of ISS in the field of emergency medicine. INFORMATION SOURCES: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane and Web of Science. RESULTS: A total of 4077 records were identified by our search strategy and 2476 abstracts were screened. One hundred and thirty full articles were reviewed and 81 full articles were included. Only 33 studies (40%) assessed safety-related issues, among which 11 chose a safety-related primary outcome. Latent safety threats (LSTs) assessment was conducted in 24 studies (30%) and the cancellation rate was described in 9 studies (11%). The possible negative impact of ISS on real ED patients was assessed in two studies (2.5%), through a questionnaire and not through patient outcomes. CONCLUSION: Most studies use ISS for systems-based or education-based applications. Patient safety during ISS is often evaluated in the context of identifying or mitigating LSTs and rarely on the potential impact and risks to patients simultaneously receiving care in the ED. Our scoping review identified knowledge gaps related to the safe conduct of ISS in the ED, which may warrant further investigation.

The Future of Emergency Medicine (EM) Sim Cases: A Modified Massive Online Needs Assessment.

Objective Emergency Medicine (EM) Sim Cases was initially developed in 2015 as a free open-access simulation resource. To ensure the future of EM Sim Cases remains relevant and up to date, we performed a needs assessment to better define our audience and facilitate long-term goals. Methods We delivered a survey using a modified massive-online-needs-assessment methodology through an iterative process with simulation experts from the EM Simulation Educators Research Collaborative. We distributed the survey via email and Twitter and analyzed the data using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Results We obtained 106 responses. EM Sim Cases is commonly used by physicians primarily as an educational resource for postgraduate level trainees. Perceived needs included resuscitation, pediatrics, trauma, and toxicology content. Prompted needs included non-simulation-case educational resources, increased case database, and improved website organization. Conclusions Data collected from our needs assessment has defined our audience allowing us to design our long-term goals and strategies.

Latent safety threat identification during in situ simulation debriefing: a qualitative analysis.

Background: Latent safety threats (LSTs) in healthcare are hazards or conditions that risk patient safety but are not readily apparent without system stress. In situ simulation (ISS), followed by post-scenario debriefing is a common method to identify LSTs within the clinical environment. The function of post-ISS debriefing for LST identification is not well understood. Objectives: This study aims to qualitatively characterise the types of LSTs identified during ISS debriefing. Methods: We conducted 12 ISS trauma scenarios followed by debriefing at a Canadian, Level 1 trauma centre. We designed the scenarios and debriefing for 15 and 20 min, respectively. Debriefings focused on LST identification, and each session was audio recorded and transcribed. We used an inductive approach with qualitative content analysis to code text data into an initial coding tree. We generated refined topics from the coded text data. Results: We identified five major topics: (1) communication and teamwork challenges, (2) system-level issues, (3) resource constraints, (4) positive team performance and (5) potential improvements to the current systems and processes. Conclusions: During simulation debriefing sessions for LST identification, participants discussed threats related to communication and interpersonal issues. Safety issues relating to equipment, processes and the physical space received less emphasis. These findings may guide health system leaders and simulation experts better understanding of the strengths and limitations of simulation debriefing for LST identification. Further studies are required to compare ISS-based LST identification techniques.

Translational simulation: from description to action.

This article describes an operational framework for implementing translational simulation in everyday practice. The framework, based on an input-process-output model, is developed from a critical review of the existing translational simulation literature and the collective experience of the authors' affiliated translational simulation services. The article describes how translational simulation may be used to explore work environments and/or people in them, improve quality through targeted interventions focused on clinical performance/patient outcomes, and be used to design and test planned infrastructure or interventions. Representative case vignettes are used to show how the framework can be applied to real world healthcare problems, including clinical space testing, process development, and culture. Finally, future directions for translational simulation are discussed. As such, the article provides a road map for practitioners who seek to address health service outcomes using translational simulation.

Defining adverse events during trauma resuscitation: a modified RAND Delphi study.

BACKGROUND: The majority of preventable adverse event (AEs) in trauma care occur during the initial phase of resuscitation, often within the trauma bay. However, there is significant heterogeneity in reporting these AEs that limits performance comparisons between hospitals and trauma systems. The objective of this study was to create a taxonomy of AEs that occur during trauma resuscitation and a corresponding classification system to assign a degree of harm. METHODS: This study used a modified RAND Delphi methodology to establish a taxonomy of AEs in trauma and a degree of harm classification system. A systematic review informed the preliminary list of AEs. An interdisciplinary panel of 22 trauma experts rated these AEs through two rounds of online surveys and a final consensus meeting. Consensus was defined as 80% for each AE and the final checklist. RESULTS: The Delphi panel consisted of 22 multidisciplinary trauma experts. A list of 57 evidence-informed AEs was revised and expanded during the modified Delphi process into a finalized list of 67 AEs. Each AE was classified based on degree of harm on a scale from I (no harm) to V (death). DISCUSSION: This study developed a taxonomy of 67 AEs that occur during the initial phases of a trauma resuscitation with a corresponding degree of harm classification. This taxonomy serves to support a standardized evaluation of trauma care between centers and regions. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 5.

Trauma Resuscitation Using in situ Simulation Team Training (TRUST) study: latent safety threat evaluation using framework analysis and video review.

INTRODUCTION: Trauma resuscitation is a complex and time-sensitive endeavour with significant risk for error. These errors can manifest from sequential system, team and knowledge-based failures, defined as latent safety threats (LSTs). In situ simulation (ISS) provides a novel prospective approach to recreate clinical situations that may manifest LSTs. Using ISS coupled with a human factors-based video review and modified framework analysis, we sought to identify and quantify LSTs within trauma resuscitation scenarios. METHODS: At a level 1 trauma centre, we video recorded 12 monthly unannounced ISS to prospectively identify trauma-related LSTs. The on-call multidisciplinary trauma team participated in the study. Using a modified framework analysis, human factors experts transcribed and coded the videos. We identified LST events, categorised them into themes and subthemes and used a hazard matrix to prioritise subthemes requiring intervention. RESULTS: We identified 843 LST events during 12 simulations, categorised into seven themes and 38 subthemes, of which 23 are considered critical. The seven themes relate to physical workspace, mental model formation, equipment, unclear accountability, demands exceeding individuals' capacity, infection control and task-specific issues. The physical workspace theme accounted for the largest number of critical LST events (n=152). We observed differences in LST events across the four scenarios; complex scenarios had more LST events. CONCLUSIONS: We identified a diverse set of critical LSTs during trauma resuscitations using ISS coupled with video-based framework analysis. The hazard matrix scoring, in combination with detailed LST subthemes, supported identification of critical LSTs requiring intervention and enhanced efforts intended to improve patient safety. This approach may be useful to others who seek to understand the contributing factors to common LSTs and design interventions to mitigate them.

An Active Shooter in Your Hospital: A Novel Method to Develop a Response Policy Using In Situ Simulation and Video Framework Analysis.

Hospital shootings (Code Silver) are events that pose extreme risk to staff, patients, and visitors. Hospitals are faced with unique challenges to train staff and develop protocols to manage these high-risk events. In situ simulation is an innovative technique that can evaluate institutional responses to emergent situations. This study highlights the design of an active shooter in situ simulation conducted at a Canadian level-1 trauma center to test a Code Silver active shooter protocol response. We further apply a modified framework analysis to extract latent safety threats (LSTs) from the simulation using ethnographic observation of the response by law enforcement, hospital security, logistics, and medical personnel.The video-based framework analysis identified 110 LSTs, which were assigned hazard scores, highlighting 3 high-risk LSTs that did not have effective control measures or were not easily discoverable. These included lack of security during patient transport, inadequate situational awareness outside the clinical area, and poor coordination of critical tasks among interprofessional team members. In situ simulation is a novel approach to support the design and implementation of similar events at other institutions. Findings from ethnographic observations and a video-based analysis form a structured framework to address safety, logistical, and medical response considerations.

The clock is ticking: using in situ simulation to improve time to blood administration for bleeding trauma patients.

INTRODUCTION: Massive hemorrhage protocols are widely used to facilitate the administration of blood components to bleeding trauma patients. Delays in this process are associated with worse patient outcomes. We used in situ simulation as a novel and iterative quality improvement technique to reduce the mean time between massive hemorrhage protocol activation and blood administration during actual trauma resuscitations. METHODS: We completed monthly, risk-informed unannounced in situ trauma simulations at a Canadian Level 1 trauma centre. We identified three major latent safety threats: (1) massive hemorrhage protocol activation; (2) transport of blood components; and (3) situational awareness of team members. Process improvements for each latent safety threats were tested and implemented during subsequent in situ simulation sessions. We evaluated the effect of this simulation-based intervention on the care of patients before, during and after the intervention. Demographic, clinical and massive hemorrhage protocol data were collected. The primary outcome was mean time between massive hemorrhage protocol activation and blood administration during actual trauma resuscitations as analyzed using a two-sample t test. RESULTS: Each group was similar in demographic and injury characteristics. The time from massive hemorrhage protocol activation to blood administration decreased from 11.6 min pre-intervention to 9.1 min post-intervention. This represented a significant reduction (2.5 min, 95% confidence interval, 0.03-5.08) following the in situ simulation-based quality improvement intervention. CONCLUSIONS: A comprehensive, in situ simulation-based quality improvement project was associated with a significant reduction in the mean time between massive hemorrhage protocol activation and blood administration among injured patients. In situ simulation represents a novel approach to the identification and mitigation of latent safety threats during massive hemorrhage protocol activation.

RéSUMé: INTRODUCTION: Les protocoles d'hémorragie massive sont largement utilisés pour faciliter l'administration de composants sanguins aux patients souffrant de traumatismes hémorragiques. Les retards dans ce processus sont associés à de pires résultats pour les patients. Nous avons utilisé la simulation in situ comme une technique novatrice et itérative d'amélioration de la qualité pour réduire le temps moyen entre l'activation du protocole d'hémorragie massive et l'administration de sang lors des réanimations de traumatismes réels. LES MéTHODES: Nous avons effectué des simulations mensuelles de traumatismes in situ, sans préavis et en tenant compte des risques, dans un centre de traumatologie de niveau 1 au Canada. Nous avons identifié trois grandes menaces latentes pour la sécurité : 1) l'activation du protocole d'hémorragie massive ; 2) le transport de composants sanguins ; et 3) la connaissance de la situation des membres de l'équipe. Des améliorations de processus pour chaque menace latente à la sécurité ont été testées et mises en œuvre lors de séances de simulation in situ subséquentes. Nous avons évalué l'effet de cette intervention basée sur la simulation sur la prise en charge des patients avant, pendant et après l'intervention. Des données démographiques, cliniques et de protocole d'hémorragie massive ont été recueillies. Le critère de jugement principal était le temps moyen entre l'activation du protocole d'hémorragie massive et l'administration de sang pendant les réanimations traumatiques réelles, tel qu'analysé à l'aide d'un test t à deux échantillons. RéSULTATS: Chaque groupe était similaire en termes de caractéristiques démographiques et de blessures. Le temps entre l'activation du protocole d'hémorragie massive et l'administration de sang est passé de 11,6 minutes avant l'intervention à 9,1 minutes après l'intervention. Cela a représenté une réduction significative (2,5 minutes, intervalle de confiance de 95%, 0,03 à 5,08) suite à l'intervention d'amélioration de la qualité basée sur la simulation in situ. CONCLUSIONS: Un projet exhaustif d'amélioration de la qualité basé sur une simulation in situ a été associé à une réduction significative du temps moyen entre l'activation du protocole d'hémorragie massive et l'administration de sang chez les patients blessés. La simulation in situ représente une nouvelle approche pour l'identification et l'atténuation des menaces latentes pour la sécurité lors de l'activation du protocole d'hémorragie massive.

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.