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Sunday, September 26, 2010

Title: Speaking the Same Language: Simulation Promotes Collaboration Amongst the Perinatal Team

Christine Fuhrmann, BSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM , Women and Children Services, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, TX
Laura Zambrana, BSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM , Women and Children's Services, Labor & Delivery, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, TX

Discipline: Professional Issues (PI), Newborn (NB), Childbearing (CB)

Learning Objectives:
  1. To create a non-threatening environment, supporting acquisition and practice of skills where no harm may be done to patients.
  2. To identify key technical and behavioral skills for optimal productivity of the team.
  3. To measure the collaborative teamwork in regards to safe passage of mothers and babies.
Submission Description:
A multidisciplinary perinatal team at Baylor University Medical Center identified the need to improve communication between healthcare providers, especially in emergent situations.   The team wanted to create a non-threatening environment thus supporting acquisition and practice of skills where no harm could be done to the patients; identify key technical and behavioral skills for optimal productivity of the perinatal team; and measure the collaborative teamwork as it relates to the safe passage of the mother and baby.  Achievement of these objectives was met with the implementation of simulation.  A core multidisciplinary group participated in an intense three day training course in order to bring simulation back to Baylor University Medical Center.  This group was then responsible for the development, coordination and implementation of simulation-based training for the perinatal service line.  Simulation facilitates increased confidence and competence in emergent situations by focusing on technical, cognitive and behavioral skills.  The multidisciplinary perinatal team developed an assessment tool to determine the participants’ baseline comfort level and competence with emergent procedures.  In addition, the tool focused on the participants’ comfort level in effectively communicating their needs in these emergent situations.  This tool was administered prior to attending simulation and then again three months later.  By combining the science of simulation and the skills of the participants, the team was able to increase the confidence and competence of the learners in emergent situations and increase the communication skills among the members of the perinatal team thus creating a safer environment for the mother and baby.