Traditionally, healthcare education and training take place in separate schools for each profession. However, once formal education is complete, many health professionals and specialties find themselves caring for the same patient.
To address this issue, many technological advances have allowed for facilities to co-educate healthcare professionals in a realistic setting, or multidisciplinary simulation environment.
In 2012, the University of South Florida (USF) opened the Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation (CAMLS) – the largest facility of its kind. CAMLS strives to combine cutting-edge simulation center management and multidisciplinary training while setting new healthcare performance standards.
Laura Haubnet, M.D., a neonatologist at USF, points out, “[A physician is placed in] a preceptor role at a patient’s bedside for the first time in a clinical setting and has to assume a leadership role without having much interaction with them during their education. Multidisciplinary education helps them to better understand their role in the healthcare setting… as well as how a nurse or respiratory therapist participates in a patient’s care.”
Multidisciplinary education is becoming increasingly common, especially through the rise of successful simulation center management — like CAMLS. Integrated simulation and multidisciplinary education centers are the gold standard for team training.
Simulation center management plays an important role in mutual support, communication, leadership, and situation monitoring. Videos from Education Management Solutions show how well the team members communicate and whether leadership skills need improving. Receiving feedback from instructors through debriefing and performance assessments is essential in ensuring better coordinated teamwork leading to increased patient safety.
Well coordinated simulation management helps learners realize the importance of teamwork in caring for a patient. Teamwork cannot exist without proper communication, clarity of roles, patience, and willingness of all members to strive towards the same outcomes.