Benefits of Resuscitation Team Training

Teamwork is essential during emergency resuscitations, but team training is challenging. Researchers assigned 231 emergency medicine residents and fourth-year medical students to 45 teams of 4 to 6 members each and randomized the teams to receive computer-based teamwork training or placebo training. Intervention team members watched a 25-minute computer presentation on teamwork behaviors, including communication and leadership. Placebo team members watched a 25-minute computer presentation that provided general information on the importance of teams in healthcare. Each team then performed two high-fidelity, simulated patient resuscitation scenarios (cardiac arrest and hemorrhagic shock). Blinded raters viewed video recordings of the resusci…