Patient Safety and Quality of Care: Can Simulation Meet the Needs of the Healthcare System As Well As Those of Academic World?

Background and Purpose Medical errors can be defined as the failure of a planned action to be completed as intended or the use of a wrong plan to achieve an aim. Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer of England, stated ‘that when a person steps on a plane, their risk of dying in an air crash is 1 in 10 million. When a person is admitted into hospital, their risk of dying or being seriously harmed by a medical error is 1 in 300.” In promoting patient safety, Summer et al. identified different crucial competencies that need to be covered such as leadership, teamwork, communication, evidence-based practice, and a patient centered culture of learning with the aim to support healthcare leaders. To further aid patient safety, these competencies can be developed in a simulated setting prior to interaction with real patients. This poster offers an overview of some of the main studies which demonstrate how simulation can be successfully used to improve patient safety, quality of care, and the effectiveness of education for future healthcare professionals. Methods Web-based literature review. Results Simulation is currently used in numerous fields with highly complex procedures and its educational value has been clearly proved by an extensive body of literature. Simulation can in fact identify probable problems during real emergency situations and it fosters teamwork in preparation for life-threatening situations. Furthermore, in situ simulation training improves the interdisciplinary team performance of nurses and physicians of a simulated patient experiencing an acute status change and emergent condition in a surgical unit. Recently the level of realism of simulation and safe clinical practice has been improved by the use of devices normally used in the real world. In this regard, CPRmeter™ has proved to be effective in improving quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation during simulated training as well as during real events. Conclusions Medical errors are still a dramatic phenomenon deserving a careful analysis in an effort to prevent them. For this purpose, the widespread use of simulation in academic and hospital environments can promote adequate training leading to a considerable improvement of safety and quality of care.