Design and implementation of a “crisis resource management” training program for the initial assessment of polytrauma patients / Diseño e implementación de un programa de aprendizaje crisis resource management para la evaluación inicial del paciente politraumatizado

Introduction: To describe the design and implementation of a Crisis Resource Management (CRM) training program for the initial assessment of polytrauma patients. Methods: Prospectively implemented CRM training program in acute-care tertiary hospital by hospital personnel involved in the care of polytraumatisms. The program has a blended format and 23-h duration, including 11 h of online theoretical training followed by 12-h simulation modules and practical cases devoted to the roles of members of the trauma team, functioning of the polytrauma room, and key aspects of teamwork. The Human Factors Attitude Survey (HFAS) was used to assess attitudes related to non-technical skills, and the End-of-Course Critique (ECC) survey to evaluate satisfaction with training. We evaluated changes in the pre- and post-training assessments. Results: Eighty staff personnel (26% specialists, 16% residents, 29% nurses, 14% nursing assistant, 15% stretcher bearer) participated in three editions of the program. Theoretical knowledge improved from a mean (SD) of 5.95 (1.7) to 8.27 (2.1) (P < .0001). In the HFAS, statistically significant differences in 18 of 23 attitudinal markers were observed, with improvements in all items of “leadership” and “roles”, in 4 of 5 items of “situational awareness”, and in 4 of 8 items of “communication”. Mean values obtained in the ECC questionnaire were also very high. Conclusions: A CRM training model developed for the initial care of polytrauma patients improved theoretical knowledge and participants perceptions and attitudes regarding leadership, communication, roles, and situational awareness of members of the trauma team. (AU)

Introducción: Describir el diseño y la implementación de un programa de formación basado en Crisis Resource Management para la evaluación inicial de los pacientes con politraumatismos. Métodos: Implementación prospectiva de un programa CRM de formación en Hospital terciario con el personal del hospital involucrado en la asistencia de politraumatismos. El programa tenía un formato semipresencial de 23 horas de duración, incluyendo 11 horas de formación online de contenido teórico seguidas de 12 horas de módulos de simulación y casos prácticos referidos a los papeles de los miembros del equipo de trauma, funcionamiento del box de trauma y aspectos claves del trabajo en equipo. El Human Factors Attitude Survey (HFAS) se utilizó para evaluar las actitudes relacionadas con las habilidades no técnicas y el End-of-Course Critique (ECC) cuestionario para valorar la satisfacción con la formación. Se evaluaron los cambios antes y después de la formación. Resultados: Ochenta miembros del hospital (26% especialistas, 16% residentes, 29% enfermeras, 14% auxiliares de enfermería, 15% camilleros) participaron en tres ediciones del programa. El conocimiento teórico aumentó de una media (DE) de 5.95 (1.7) a 8.27 (2.1) (P < ,0001). En el HFAS, se observaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en 18 de los 23 marcadores de actitud, con mejorías en todos los ítems de “liderazgo” y “roles”, en 4 de los 5 items de “consciencia situacional” y en 4 de los 8 ítems de “comunicación”. Los valores medios obtenidos en el cuestionario ECC tambien fueron muy altos. Conclusiones: Un modelo CRM de formación desarrollado para la atención inicial de los pacientes con politraumatismos mejoró el conocimiento teórico y las percepciones y actitudes de los participantes relacionadas con el liderazgo, la comunicación, los roles y la consciencia situacional de los miembros del equipo de trauma. (AU)

Design and implementation of a "crisis resource management" training program for the initial assessment of polytrauma patients.

INTRODUCTION: To describe the design and implementation of a Crisis Resource Management (CRM) training program for the initial assessment of polytrauma patients. METHODS: Prospectively implemented CRM training program in acute-care tertiary hospital by hospital personnel involved in the care of polytraumatisms. The program has a blended format and 23-h duration, including 11 h of online theoretical training followed by 12-h simulation modules and practical cases devoted to the roles of members of the trauma team, functioning of the polytrauma room, and key aspects of teamwork. The Human Factors Attitude Survey (HFAS) was used to assess attitudes related to non-technical skills, and the End-of-Course Critique (ECC) survey to evaluate satisfaction with training. We evaluated changes in the pre- and post-training assessments. RESULTS: Eighty staff personnel (26% specialists, 16% residents, 29% nurses, 14% nursing assistant, 15% stretcher bearer) participated in three editions of the program. Theoretical knowledge improved from a mean (SD) of 5.95 (1.7) to 8.27 (2.1) (P < .0001). In the HFAS, statistically significant differences in 18 of 23 attitudinal markers were observed, with improvements in all items of "leadership" and "roles", in 4 of 5 items of "situational awareness", and in 4 of 8 items of "communication". Mean values obtained in the ECC questionnaire were also very high. CONCLUSIONS: A CRM training model developed for the initial care of polytrauma patients improved theoretical knowledge and participants perceptions and attitudes regarding leadership, communication, roles, and situational awareness of members of the trauma team.

Improvement of Teamwork Nontechnical Skills Through Polytrauma Simulation Cases Using the Communication and Teamwork Skills (CATS) Assessment Tool.

OBJECTIVE: To assess acquisition of nontechnical skills (NTS) through clinical simulation cases by healthcare personnel who participated in a Crisis Resource Management (CRM) training program for the initial care of polytraumatisms. DESIGN: Pre-and postintervention study. SETTING: Acute-care teaching hospital in Sabadell, Barcelona (Spain). PARTICIPANTS: Healthcare personnel that composed teamworks providing initial care to polytraumatized patients attended 12-hour simulation training using a SimMan 3G manikin and performed exercises corresponding to 3 clinical scenarios. All simulations lasted 15 to 25 min and were video recorded. The CATS Assessment tool was used for analysis of teamwork NTS, which included 21 behaviors clustered into the categories of coordination, situational awareness, cooperation, communication, and crisis situation. RESULTS: Three editions of the CRM training course were carried out with 12 trauma team groups composed by team leader, anesthesiologist, general surgeon, traumatologist, registered nurses, nursing assistant, and stretcher bearer. There were statistically significant (p <0.001) improvements in the speed of key times of total duration of case resolution, transfusion of hemoderivatives, Focused Assessment Sonography for Trauma, and chest and pelvic X-rays. The percentage of cases correctly resolved improved from 75% to 91.7% but differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.625). Precourse and postcourse results of CATS scores showed a statistically significant increase in the weighted total score as well as in all behavioral categories of coordination, situational awareness, cooperation, communication, and crisis situation. CONCLUSIONS: Simulation-based training of NTS was associated with significant improvements in teamwork behaviors in the setting of the initial care of patients with polytraumatisms.