COVID-19 Critical Care Simulations: An International Cross-Sectional Survey

Mohamad-Hani Temsah; Abdulkarim Alrabiaah; Ayman Al-Eyadhy; Fahad Al-Sohime; Abdullah Al Huzaimi; Nurah Alamro; Khalid Alhasan; Vaibhavi Upadhye; Amr Jamal; Fadi Aljamaan; Ali Alhaboob; Yaseen M Arabi; Marc Lazarovici; Ali M Somily; Abdulaziz M Boker

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2021.700769

COVID-19 Critical Care Simulations: An International Cross-Sectional Survey

Front Public Health. 2021 Sep 21:9:700769. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.700769. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Mohamad-Hani Temsah^{1

2}, Abdulkarim Alrabiaah^{1

3}, Ayman Al-Eyadhy^{1

2}, Fahad Al-Sohime^{1

2

4}, Abdullah Al Huzaimi^{1

5

6}, Nurah Alamro^{1

7}, Khalid Alhasan^{1

8}, Vaibhavi Upadhye⁹, Amr Jamal^{1

7

10}, Fadi Aljamaan^{1

11}, Ali Alhaboob^{1

2}, Yaseen M Arabi^{12

13

14}, Marc Lazarovici¹⁵, Ali M Somily^{1

16}, Abdulaziz M Boker^{17

18}

Affiliations

¹ College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
² Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Pediatric Department, King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
³ Pediatric Infectious Disease Unit, Pediatric Department, King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Clinical Skills & Simulation Center, King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Cardiac Sciences, College of Medicine, King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Heart Center, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁷ Department of Family and Community Medicine, King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁸ Pediatric Nephrology Unit, Pediatric Department, King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁹ Clinical Lead in Simulation, Dr. Indumati Amodkar Simulation Center, Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital and Research Center, Pune, India.
¹⁰ Evidence-Based Health Care & Knowledge Translation Research Chair, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
¹¹ Critical Care Department, King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
¹² National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
¹³ King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
¹⁴ King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
¹⁵ Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich University Hospital, Munich, Germany.
¹⁶ Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
¹⁷ Anesthesia and Critical Care Department, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
¹⁸ Clinical Skills and Simulation Centre, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Objective: To describe the utility and patterns of COVID-19 simulation scenarios across different international healthcare centers. Methods: This is a cross-sectional, international survey for multiple simulation centers team members, including team-leaders and healthcare workers (HCWs), based on each center's debriefing reports from 30 countries in all WHO regions. The main outcome measures were the COVID-19 simulations characteristics, facilitators, obstacles, and challenges encountered during the simulation sessions. Results: Invitation was sent to 343 simulation team leaders and multidisciplinary HCWs who responded; 121 completed the survey. The frequency of simulation sessions was monthly (27.1%), weekly (24.8%), twice weekly (19.8%), or daily (21.5%). Regarding the themes of the simulation sessions, they were COVID-19 patient arrival to ER (69.4%), COVID-19 patient intubation due to respiratory failure (66.1%), COVID-19 patient requiring CPR (53.7%), COVID-19 transport inside the hospital (53.7%), COVID-19 elective intubation in OR (37.2%), or Delivery of COVID-19 mother and neonatal care (19%). Among participants, 55.6% reported the team's full engagement in the simulation sessions. The average session length was 30-60 min. The debriefing process was conducted by the ICU facilitator in (51%) of the sessions followed by simulation staff in 41% of the sessions. A total of 80% reported significant improvement in clinical preparedness after simulation sessions, and 70% were satisfied with the COVID-19 sessions. Most perceived issues reported were related to infection control measures, followed by team dynamics, logistics, and patient transport issues. Conclusion: Simulation centers team leaders and HCWs reported positive feedback on COVID-19 simulation sessions with multidisciplinary personnel involvement. These drills are a valuable tool for rehearsing safe dynamics on the frontline of COVID-19. More research on COVID-19 simulation outcomes is warranted; to explore variable factors for each country and healthcare system.

Keywords: COVID-19; healthcare preparedness; healthcare workers; international survey; simulations.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

COVID-19*
Critical Care
Cross-Sectional Studies
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Patient Care Team
SARS-CoV-2