Simulation training to EnhancE nurSE-PhySician collaboration

© 2011 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Nearly a decade has passed since the Institute of Medicine released its seminal report To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System. The report described the US health care system as a decade or more behind other high-risk industries in its attention to ensuring basic safety. One recommendation was that Congress should create a center for patient safety within the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The AHRQ was asked to set standards, communicate with members about safety, and develop training programs that create a culture of safety across disciplines. The AHRQ supports simulation research through its patient safety program, recognizing that “simulation in health care creates a safe learning environment that allows researchers and practitioners to test new clinical processes and to enhance individual and team skills before encountering patients.” OBJECtIvE: To determine whether interdisciplinary simulation team training can positively affect registered nurse and/or physician perceptions of collaboration in clinical decision making.