Outcomes of a classroom-based team training intervention for multi-professional hospital staff

Dear Sir

Analyses of patient safety incidents confirm a need for improved teamwork in healthcare. Classroom-based team training interventions use lectures, video demonstrations, multi-professional discussions and role-plays to strengthen knowledge, skills and attitudes on patient safety and team communication.

We evaluated the outcomes of a classroom-based team training intervention in a 35-bed cardiology department at Hvidovre University Hospital in Denmark. The eight-hour curriculum was based on a needs assessment involving healthcare staff (Rabøl et al. 2011a,b). A total of 132 staff members (87%) participated in training. A seven-month follow-up campaign focused on transfer of training to daily work situations using checklists, posters, training of new staff and continuing discussions in the department.

The intervention was evaluated along several dimensions: immediate participant reactions were very positive. A self-assessment survey showed that a large majority of staff knew about and indicated that they used the tools, and staff stated that training had improved patient safety. However, observation studies showed no indications of higher quality of information exchange among trained staff compared to untrained staff, and a systematic record audit showed no reduction of the adverse event rate when compared to that of an untrained site. In semi-structured interviews staff and department leaders praised the initiative but called for further follow-up.

Based on these findings a strategy involving sustained and substantial organisational focus and a higher degree of involvement of local staff is suggested for future classroom-based team communication interventions in healthcare. Further, we conclude that evaluation of this kind of complex intervention must include both quantitative and qualitative methods in order to determine not only possible effects of the interventions but also the reasons why they have been achieved.