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A presentation at SESAM2023

Applying the high-performance team concept of Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) for the simulation-based team training of medical school students

Format: Descriptive Work - Oral Presentations and Short Communications Topic: Interprofessional / Team Education and Training

Authors

Ichiro Kaneko Yasuo Takeuchi Keiji Maruyama Yumiko Okubo Kumiko Konno

Title

Teikyo University 

 School of Medicine School of Medicine

Support (ACLS) for the simulation-based

 

Our medical school has been providing team-based Advanced Cardiovascular
for undergraduate (UG) medical students for several years. While the assessment of team performance in the American Heart Association’s (AHA) ACLS has conventionally focused on evaluating individual communication skills and leadership performances, a new lesson style’s evaluation methods have recently attempted the measurement of the entire team’s communication and performance. Simulation lessons for UG students were designed and conducted using the AHA ACLS core concepts, such as quality basic life support (BLS), high-performance team, and team assessment in the school year 2022. Evaluation of the new ACLS simulation lesson would be discussed in detail.

Methods

Each medical students’ group repeatedly practiced through simulations of cardiac arrest scenarios to confirm that their individual performance had reached a passing level or higher. Individual leadership and closed-loop communication skills were specifically assessed in the practice sessions. Debriefing was performed after each ACLS simulation. Following the practice session, a group simulation was conducted to evaluate group work as a final assessment session. The evaluation, similar to the AHA course, involved a procedural assessment using a checklist, an assessment of communication skills, a chest compression fraction (CCF) of 80% or more, and a pass grade of 80% or more. A questionnaire survey was conducted before and after class. All groups passed the team performance test with a favourable CCF score. Significant improvement was shown in understanding the importance of a high-performance team, team dynamics, and communication within the team.

Results & Discussion

As ACLS training is algorithm-based, the best performance of team communication has been expressed as an accurate representation of the scenario script. In addition, it has been discussed that this style of assessment may not be adequate. According to the drastic changes in the ACLS course, we modified our lesson protocol. Emphasis on the concept of a high-performance team in the goals-based team training was attempted in the simulation lessons for medical school students. The assessment protocol has been revised this year. Not only individual assessment but also a team evaluation has been attempted and performed. The individual assessment was completed in the practice session as a formative assessment, and the team assessment was conducted in a final team test as a summative one. These two steps effectively enhanced the medical school students’ understanding of the ACLS team dynamics.

Keywords

Applying the high-performance team concept of Advanced Cardiovascular Life team training of medical school students

Introduction

Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), the assessment of team performance, communication within the team

Life Support (ACLS) simulation training

References/Acknowledgements

1) Adult Basic and Advanced Life Support: 2020 American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care, Panchal AR, et al. Circulation. 2020;142:S366–S468
2) Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support Instructor Manual, 2020 American Heart Association