It wasn't luck: it was training

An efficient and effective ED team doesn’t happen by luck: it happens as a result of integrated team training. That is why we are dedicated to working with ED personnel across the CRICO system to enhance their teamwork and communication skills that are critical to keeping ED patients safe.

Using multiple scenarios that simulate an active ED setting, including an unstable patient at triage, a patient with deterioration in the ED, patients with abnormalities not addressed at discharge, and patient hand-offs, the curriculum is designed to improve providers’ ability to:

• recognize barriers to gathering and integrating complete information; 
• use a designated method (e.g., SBAR, IPASS) for receiving and transferring complete information; and 
• lower the barriers for speaking up, by consistent use of agreed upon communication prompts, (e.g., triggers to identify and respond to unstable patients, physician-nurse huddles, and discharge timeouts with reconciliation of abnormal vital signs).

To learn more about ED team training, visit CRICO.