The Simulation Olympics: a resuscitation-based simulation competition as an educational intervention

Abstract

The Department of Emergency Medicine at Queen's University developed, implemented, and evaluated an interprofessional simulation-based competition called the Simulation Olympics with the purpose of encouraging health care providers to practice resuscitation skills and foster strong team-based attitudes. Eleven teams (N 5 45) participated in the competition. Teams completed three standardized resuscitation scenarios in a high-fidelity simulation laboratory with teams composed of nurses, respiratory therapists, and undergraduate and postgraduate medical trainees. Trained standardized actors and a dedicated technician were used for all scenarios. Judges evaluated team performance using standardized assessment tools. All participants (100%) completed an anonymous two-page questionnaire prior to the competition assessing baseline characteristics and evaluating participant attitudes, motivation, and barriers to participation. The majority of participants (71%) completed an evaluation form following the event focusing on highlights, barriers to participation, and desired future directions. Evaluations were uniformly positive in short-answer feedback and attitudinal scoring measures. To our knowledge, the Simulation Olympics competition is the first of its kind in Canada to be offered at an academic teaching hospital. RÉ SUMÉLe dé partement de mé decine d'urgence de l'Université Queen's a é laboré , ré alisé , et é valué une compé tition interprofessionnelle, axé e sur la simulation et appelé e « Simulation Olympics », dans le but d'inciter des professionnels de la santé à mettre en pratique leurs compé tences en ré animation et de faciliter l'adoption de fortes attitudes d'é quipe. Onze é quipes (N 5 45) ont participé à la compé tition. Les é quipes, composé es d'infirmiè res, d'inhalothé rapeutes, d'é tudiants diplô mé s, et non diplô mé s en mé decine, ont concouru dans trois scé narios uniformes de ré animation, dans un laboratoire simulant trè s bien la ré alité . Des acteurs normalisé s, ayant reç u une formation particuliè re, et un technicien dé voué é taient pré sents dans tous les scé narios. Les juges ont é valué la performance des é quipes à l'aide d'outils d'é valuation normalisé s. Tous les participants (100%) ont ré pondu à un questionnaire anonyme, de deux pages, avant la compé tition, visant à é valuer leurs caracté ristiques de base, leurs attitudes, et leur motivation ainsi que les obstacles à la participation. La plupart des participants (71%) ont rempli un formulaire d'é valuation aprè s la compé tition, portant surtout sur les faits saillants, les obstacles à la participation, et les orientations futures souhaité es. Les é valuations se sont ré vé lé es uniformé ment favorables dans de courtes ré troactions et des mesures de cotation des attitudes. À notre connaissance, la compé tition « Simulation Olympics » est la premiè re du genre, au Canada, à avoir é té organisé e dans un hô pital d'enseignement.

Assessment of Emergency Medicine Resident Performance in an Adult Simulation Using a Multisource Feedback Approach

“…As team leader, he or she received MSF using a previously validated rubric. This instrument, the QSAT, was previously studied with attending physicians evaluating residents 4,5,6. The QSAT assesses resident performance on four factors of resuscitation leadership: primary assessment of the patient; initial diagnostic testing; treatment of the underlying condition; and interpersonal communication with staff and consultants.…”

“…The Queen’s Simulation Assessment Tool (QSAT) was developed and subsequently validated in a multicenter study using EM residents, with the distinct purpose of using simulation as a means of assessment of resident performance in resuscitation 4,5. The QSAT displayed its ability to discriminate between junior and more-senior residents in performance in several case types, with senior residents consistently performing better in all but one of 10 case types previously measured.…”

“SimWars”: A Multispecialty Simulation Competition to Improve Learning

“…Additionally, ''SimWars'' offers learning opportunities for those watching and evaluating, because they must observe and reflect on the decision-making and teamwork of competing groups (Okuda et al, 2014). A competition format in simulation has previously been shown to be effective in building skills in team-based patient care while also being enjoyable for participants (Dagnone, Takhar, & Lacroix, 2012;May, & Cole, 2014;Okuda et al, 2014). In addition, it has also been suggested that the ideal learning environment balances the immersive learning of simulation participation with the insight and perspective gained from being an observer (Oblinger, 2006).…”

“…Team-based simulation is effective in training health care students and providers (Dagnone, Takhar, & Lacroix, 2012;Villamaria et al, 2008). By using an adult learning approach, team-based simulation offers participants context-dependent and experiential learning (Eppich, Howard, Vozenilek, & Curran, 2011).…”

Critical Appraisal of Emergency Medicine Education Research: The Best Publications of 2012

“…The sources of funding were as follows: five federal (two NIH, one Canada, and one Taiwan), five universitysponsored, two industry-supported, and two organizationally funded. Research methodology included 17 surveys (36%), 17,19,21,25,30,31,33,37,40,42,46,[50][51][52]54,60,61 15 (31%) observational analyses, [14][15][16]22,23,27,32,33,38,44,47,49,56,57,59 and three (6%) qualitative methodology studies. 19,28,45 There were only 12 (25%) with an experimental or quasi-experimental study design, 20,24,26,35,36,39,41,43,48,53,55,57 with five of the highlighted articles using this rigorous design.…”