The role of teamwork and non-technical skills for improving emergency surgical outcomes: an international perspective

Effect of the Green Cross method on patient safety culture in a postanaesthesia care unit: a longitudinal quasi-experimental study

BACKGROUND

Hospitals should adopt multiple methods to monitor incidents for a comprehensive review of the types of incidents that occur. Contrary to traditional incident reporting systems, the Green Cross (GC) method is a simple visual method to recognise incidents based on teamwork and safety briefings. Its longitudinal effect on patient safety culture has not been previously assessed. This study aimed to explore whether the implementation of the GC method in a postanaesthesia care unit changed nurses' perceptions of different factors associated with patient safety culture over 4 years.

METHODS

A longitudinal quasi-experimental pre-post intervention design with a comparison group was used. The intervention unit and the comparison group, which consisted of nurses, were recruited from the surgical department of a Norwegian university hospital. The intervention unit implemented the GC method in February 2019. Both groups responded to the staff survey before and then annually between 2019 and 2022 on the factors 'work engagement', 'teamwork climate' and 'safety climate'. The data were analysed using logistic regression models.

RESULTS

Within the intervention unit, relative to the changes in the comparison group, the results indicated significant large positive changes in all factor scores in 2019, no changes in 2020, significant large positive changes in 'work engagement' and 'safety climate' scores in 2021 and a significant medium positive change in 'work engagement' in 2022. At baseline, the comparison group had a significantly lower score in 'safety climate' than the intervention unit, but no significant baseline differences were found between the groups regarding 'work engagement' and 'teamwork climate'.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that the GC method had a positive effect on the nurses' perception of factors associated with patient safety culture over a period of 4 years. The positive effect was completely sustained in 'work engagement' but was somewhat less persistent in 'teamwork climate' and 'safety climate'.

Toward a new paradigm of care: a surgical leaders' Delphi consensus on the organizational factors of the new pancreas units (E-AHPBA PUECOF study)

Pancreas units represent new organizational models of care that are now at the center of the European debate. The PUECOF study, endorsed by the European-African Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (E-AHPBA), aims to reach an expert consensus by enquiring surgical leaders about the Pancreas Units' most relevant organizational factors, with 30 surgical leaders from 14 countries participating in the Delphi survey. Results underline that surgeons believe in the need to organize multidisciplinary meetings, nurture team leadership, and create metrics. Clinical professionals and patients are considered the most relevant stakeholders, while the debate is open when considering different subjects like industry leaders and patient associations. Non-technical skills such as ethics, teamwork, professionalism, and leadership are highly considered, with mentoring, clinical cases, and training as the most appreciated facilitating factors. Surgeons show trust in functional leaders, key performance indicators, and the facilitating role played by nurse navigators and case managers. Pancreas units have a high potential to improve patients' outcomes. While the pancreas unit model of care will not change the technical content of pancreatic surgery, it may bring surgeons several benefits, including more cases, professional development, easier coordination, less stress, and opportunities to create fruitful connections with research institutions and industry leaders.

The role of the community pharmacy work system in the enactment of pharmacists' non-technical skills

Non-technical skills are recognised as important in various work domains, but have been the subject of debate regarding their role in ergonomics/human factors, given their focus on human behaviour itself rather than the interaction between people and systems. This study aimed to examine the relationship between non-technical skills and the work system in which they are enacted. The study setting was community pharmacies in England. Qualitative data were obtained from observation of seven pharmacists and semi-structured interviews with 16 pharmacists, and subjected to thematic analysis. Elements of their work system were found to be related to their non-technical skills; either by creating a need for the skill in the first place, or by facilitating or inhibiting its enactment. The findings highlight the importance of considering the work system that contextualises individuals' and teams' behaviour, in addition to the behaviour itself, when investigating non-technical skills.

European society for trauma and emergency surgery member-identified research priorities in emergency surgery: a roadmap for future clinical research opportunities

BACKGROUND

European Society for Trauma and Emergency Surgery (ESTES) is the European community of clinicians providing care to the injured and critically ill surgical patient. ESTES has several interlinked missions - (1) the promotion of optimal emergency surgical care through networked advocacy, (2) promulgation of relevant clinical cognitive and technical skills, and (3) the advancement of scientific inquiry that closes knowledge gaps, iteratively improves upon surgical and perioperative practice, and guides decision-making rooted in scientific evidence. Faced with multitudinous opportunities for clinical research, ESTES undertook an exercise to determine member priorities for surgical research in the short-to-medium term; these research priorities were presented to a panel of experts to inform a 'road map' narrative review which anchored these research priorities in the contemporary surgical literature.

METHODS

Individual ESTES members in active emergency surgery practice were polled as a representative sample of end-users and were asked to rank potential areas of future research according to their personal perceptions of priority. Using the modified eDelphi method, an invited panel of ESTES-associated experts in academic emergency surgery then crafted a narrative review highlighting potential research priorities for the Society.

RESULTS

Seventy-two responding ESTES members from 23 countries provided feedback to guide the modified eDelphi expert consensus narrative review. Experts then crafted evidence-based mini-reviews highlighting knowledge gaps and areas of interest for future clinical research in emergency surgery: timing of surgery, inter-hospital transfer, diagnostic imaging in emergency surgery, the role of minimally-invasive surgical techniques and Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols, patient-reported outcome measures, risk-stratification methods, disparities in access to care, geriatric outcomes, data registry and snapshot audit evaluations, emerging technologies interrogation, and the delivery and benchmarking of emergency surgical training.

CONCLUSIONS

This manuscript presents the priorities for future clinical research in academic emergency surgery as determined by a sample of the membership of ESTES. While the precise basis for prioritization was not evident, it may be anchored in disease prevalence, controversy around aspects of current patient care, or indeed the identification of a knowledge gap. These expert-crafted evidence-based mini-reviews provide useful insights that may guide the direction of future academic emergency surgery research efforts.

Boosting teamwork between scrub nurses and neurosurgeons: exploring the value of a role-played hands-on, cadaver-free simulation and systematic review of the literature

Background

Recently, non-technical skills (NTS) and teamwork in particular have been demonstrated to be essential in many jobs, in business as well as in medical specialties, including plastic, orthopedic, and general surgery. However, NTS and teamwork in neurosurgery have not yet been fully studied. We reviewed the relevant literature and designed a mock surgery to be used as a team-building activity specifically designed for scrub nurses and neurosurgeons.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review by searching PubMed (Medline) and CINAHL, including relevant articles in English published until 15 July 2023. Then, we proposed a pilot study consisting of a single-session, hands-on, and cadaver-free activity, based on role play. Scrub nurses were administered the SPLINTS (Scrub Practitioners' List of Intraoperative Non-Technical Skills) rating form as a self-evaluation at baseline and 20-30 days after the simulation. During the experiment, surgeons and scrub nurses role-played as each other, doing exercises including a simulated glioma resection surgery performed on an advanced model of a cerebral tumor (Tumor Box, UpSurgeOn®) under an exoscope. At the end, every participant completed an evaluation questionnaire.

Results

A limited number of articles are available on the topic. This study reports one of the first neurosurgical team-building activities in the literature. All the participating scrub nurses and neurosurgeons positively evaluated the simulation developed on a roleplay. The use of a physical simulator seems an added value, as the tactile feedback given by the model further helps to understand the actual surgical job, more than only observing and assisting. The SPLINTS showed a statistically significant improvement not only in "Communication and Teamwork" (p = 0.048) but also in "Situation Awareness" (p = 0.031).

Conclusion

Our study suggests that team-building activities may play a role in improving interprofessional teamwork and other NTS in neurosurgery.

Operating room organization and surgical performance: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Organizational factors may influence surgical outcomes, regardless of extensively studied factors such as patient preoperative risk and surgical complexity. This study was designed to explore how operating room organization determines surgical performance and to identify gaps in the literature that necessitate further investigation.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review according to PRISMA guidelines to identify original studies in Pubmed and Scopus from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2019. Studies evaluating the association between five determinants (team composition, stability, teamwork, work scheduling, disturbing elements) and three outcomes (operative time, patient safety, costs) were included. Methodology was assessed based on criteria such as multicentric investigation, accurate population description, and study design.

RESULTS

Out of 2625 studies, 76 met inclusion criteria. Of these, 34 (44.7%) investigated surgical team composition, 15 (19.7%) team stability, 11 (14.5%) teamwork, 9 (11.8%) scheduling, and 7 (9.2%) examined the occurrence of disturbing elements in the operating room. The participation of surgical residents appeared to impact patient outcomes. Employing specialized and stable teams in dedicated operating rooms showed improvements in outcomes. Optimization of teamwork reduced operative time, while poor teamwork increased morbidity and costs. Disturbances and communication failures in the operating room negatively affected operative time and surgical safety.

CONCLUSION

While limited, existing scientific evidence suggests that operating room staffing and environment significantly influences patient outcomes. Prioritizing further research on these organizational drivers is key to enhancing surgical performance.

The Crucial Role of Nurses in the Comprehensive Management of Postoperative Enteroatmospheric Fistula: A Narrative Review

Postoperative enteroatmospheric fistula (EAF) presents a complex challenge in surgical care, with multifactorial causes and significant implications for patient outcomes and quality of life. This narrative review explores the essential role of nurses in the comprehensive management of EAF, encompassing preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care. It emphasizes the importance of wound care management, nutritional support, psychosocial assistance, patient education, collaboration, continuous professional development, and research engagement in optimizing patient outcomes. By addressing these facets, healthcare providers can enhance their understanding and management of EAF, ultimately improving patient care in this intricate surgical complication.

Nontechnical Skills for Intraoperative Team Members

Nontechnical skills, defined as the set of cognitive and social skills used by individuals and teams to reduce error and improve performance in complex systems, have become increasingly recognized as a key contributor to patient safety. Efforts to characterize, quantify, and teach nontechnical skills in the context of perioperative care continue to evolve. This review article summarizes the essential behaviors for safety, described in taxonomies for nontechnical skills assessments developed for intraoperative clinical team members (eg, surgeons, anesthesiologists, scrub practitioners, perfusionists). Furthermore, the authors describe emerging methods to advance understanding of the impact of nontechnical skills on perioperative outcomes.

Making Surgery as Safe as It Should Be: A Qualitative Study

Existing literature supports the view that adverse outcomes from surgical interventions are more likely to be the result of degraded nontechnical skills (NTS) rather than the technical skills of surgeons. In the present context, NTS comprise the behaviors and cognitions deployed by surgeons to make decisions, maintain awareness of the operating environment, communicate with and lead supporting personnel. A contemporary safety thesis suggests that focusing on what makes things go right (eg, NTS) is far more productive than retrospective analysis (learning from mistakes). The present qualitative research explored how surgeons deploy NTS to facilitate safe and effective outcomes from surgical interventions. The thematic analysis revealed that this surgical cohort engaged specific self-regulated NTS along an intervention construct consisting of planning, implementation, monitoring progress, and deliberate learning through reflection during the preoperative, operative, and postoperative phases of care. Behaviors supporting these contentions were identified in the data and used to amplify use of the construct.

Worldwide snapshot of trauma team structure and training: an international survey

INTRODUCTION

Trauma teams (TTs) are a key tool in trauma care, as they bring a multidisciplinary approach to the trauma patient, improving outcomes. Excellent teamwork (TW) requires not only individual skills but also training at non-technical skills (NTS). Although there is evidence supporting TTs, there is little information regarding how they are organized and trained. With this study, we intend to assess the reality of TTs all over the world, focusing on how they are organized and trained.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We composed a 42-question sheet on Google Forms, in four different languages (English, Polish, Portuguese, and Spanish). The questions regarded the respondents' background, and their respective hospitals' trauma patient management, TT features and its training, NTS and TW. The survey was shared on social media, through the International Assessment Group of Online Surgical & Trauma Education community, and the European Society of Trauma and Emergency Surgery. Statistical analysis was performed on Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS®) version 27.

RESULTS

We obtained 296 answers from 52 different countries, with 6 having at least 10 answers (Brazil, Portugal, Poland, Spain, Italy, and USA). While the majority of the respondents (97%) agreed that TTs can improve outcomes, only 61% have a TT in their hospital, with 69% of these being dedicated TTs. General surgery (76%), trauma surgery (68%), and anesthesia (66%) were the three most common specialties in the teams. Teams performed briefings and debriefings with a frequency of, at least, "often" in only 49% and 38%, respectively. Only 50% and 33% of the respondents stated that their hospital provided trauma management courses focusing on individual technical skills, and TT training courses, respectively. The Advanced Trauma Life Support (85%), the Definitive Surgical and Anesthetic Trauma Care (38%), and the European Trauma Course (31%) were the three trauma management courses of choice. Regarding TT training courses, the European Trauma Course (52%) and local/in-house (42%) courses were the most common ones. Most participants (93%) stated that NTS were highly important in trauma care. However, only 60% of the respondents had postgraduate training on NTS and TW, and only 24% had this type of training on an undergraduate level.

CONCLUSION

The number of TTs worldwide does not match their relevance in trauma care. Institutions are not providing enough trauma courses, particularly TT training courses and NTS teaching. Implementing TT should include promotion of team courses, as well as team briefings and debriefings.

GMM, Maegele M, Maggiore D, Magnone S, Maier RV, Maier RV, Major P, Manangi M, manetti A, Mantoglu B, Marafante C, Mariani F, Marinis A, Mariot ES, Marseglia GR, Martãnez-Pãrez A, Martines G, Perez AM, Martino C, Mascagni P, Massalou D, Matãas-Garcãa B, Mazzarella G, Mazzarolo G, Melo RB, Mendoza-Moreno F, Meric S, Meyer J, Miceli L, Michalopoulos NV, Milana F, Mingoli A, Mishra TS, Mohamed M, Mohamed MIEA, Mohamedahmed AY, Mohammed MJS, Mohan R, Moore EE, Morales-Garcia D, Muhrbeck M, Mulita F, Mustafa SMS, Muttillo EM, Naimzada MD, Navsaria PH, Negoi I, Nespoli L, Nguyen C, Nidaw MK, Nigri G, Nikolopoulos I, O’Connor DB, Ogundipe HD, Oliveri C, Olmi S, Ong ECW, Orecchia L, Osipov AV, Othman MF, Pace M, Pacilli M, Pagani L, Palomba G, Pantalone D, Panyko A, Paolillo C, Papa MV, Papaconstantinou D, Papadoliopoulou M, Papadopoulos A, Papis D, Pararas N, Parreira JG, Parry NG, Pata F, Patel T, Paterson-Brown S, Pavone G, Pecchini F, Pellino G, Pelloni M, Peloso A, del Pozo EP, Pereira RG, Pereira BM, perez AL, Perra T, Perrone G, Pesce A, Petagna L, Petracca G, Phupong V, Picardi B, Picciariello A, Piccoli M, Piccolo D, Picetti E, Pikoulis Pikoulis E, Pintar T, Pirozzolo G, Piscioneri F, Podda M, Porcu A, Privitera F, Punzo C, Quaresima S, Quiodettis MA, Qvist N, Rahim R, de Almeida FR, Ramely RB, Rasa HK, Reichert M, Reinisch-Liese A, Renne A, Riccetti C, Rodriguez-Luna MR, Roizblatt D, Romanzi A, Romeo L, Roscio FPM, Rosnelifaizur RB, Rossi S, Rubiano AM, Ruiz-Úcar E, Sakakushev BE, Salamea JC, Sall I, Samarakoon LB, Sammartano F, Arteaga AS, Sanchez-Cordero S, Santoanastaso DPM, Sasia D, Sato N, Savchuk A, Sawyer RG, Scaioli G, Schizas D, Sebastiani S, Seeliger B, Lohse HAS, Seretis C, Sermonesi G, Serradilla-Martin M, Shelat VG, Shlyapnikov S, Sidiropoulos T, Simoes RL, Siragusa L, Siribumrungwong B, Slavchev M, Solaini L, soldini G, Sopuev A, Soreide K, Sovatzidis A, Stahel PF, Strickland M, Sultan MAH, Sydorchuk R, Sydorchuk L, Syed SMAM, Syed AM, Tallon-Aguilar L, Tamburini AM, Tamini N, Tan ECTH, Tan JH, Tarasconi A, Tartaglia N, Tartaglia G, Tartaglia D, Taylor JV, Tebala GD, Gonsaga RAT, Teuben M, Theodorou A, Tolonen M, Tomasicchio G, Toro A, Torre B, Triantafyllou T, Trigiante Trigiante G, Tripepi M, Trostchansky J, Tsekouras K, Turrado-Rodriguez V, Tutino R, Uccelli M, Uchikov PA, Ugarte-Sierra B, Ukkonen MT, Vailas M, Vassiliu PG, Vazquez AG, Vazquez RG, Verde JE, Verde JM, Veroux M, Viganò J, Vilallonga R, Visconti D, Vittori A, Waledziak M, Wannatoop T, Widmer LW, Wilson MSJ, Wong TH, Xenaki S, Yu B, Yule S, Zachariah SK, Zacharis G, Zaghi C, Zakaria AD, Zambrano DA, Zampitis N, Zampogna B, Zanghã S, Zapsalis K, Zattoni F, Zese M, Farre SP, Atanasov BT, Pegoraro V, Zantedeschi M, Reitano E, Pizzocaro E. Time for a paradigm shift in shared decision-making in trauma and emergency surgery? Results from an international survey

BACKGROUND

Shared decision-making (SDM) between clinicians and patients is one of the pillars of the modern patient-centric philosophy of care. This study aims to explore SDM in the discipline of trauma and emergency surgery, investigating its interpretation as well as the barriers and facilitators for its implementation among surgeons.

METHODS

Grounding on the literature on the topics of the understanding, barriers, and facilitators of SDM in trauma and emergency surgery, a survey was created by a multidisciplinary committee and endorsed by the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES). The survey was sent to all 917 WSES members, advertised through the society's website, and shared on the society's Twitter profile.

RESULTS

A total of 650 trauma and emergency surgeons from 71 countries in five continents participated in the initiative. Less than half of the surgeons understood SDM, and 30% still saw the value in exclusively engaging multidisciplinary provider teams without involving the patient. Several barriers to effectively partnering with the patient in the decision-making process were identified, such as the lack of time and the need to concentrate on making medical teams work smoothly.

DISCUSSION

Our investigation underlines how only a minority of trauma and emergency surgeons understand SDM, and perhaps, the value of SDM is not fully accepted in trauma and emergency situations. The inclusion of SDM practices in clinical guidelines may represent the most feasible and advocated solutions.

Why non-technical skills matter in surgery. New paradigms for surgical leaders

The surgical literature is paying more and more attention to the topic of soft or non-technical skills (NTS), defined as those cognitive and social skills that characterize high-performing individuals and teams. NTS are essential in supporting surgeons in dealing with unexpected situations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, NTS have been considered crucial in defining situation awareness, enhancing decision making, communicating among groups and teams, and fostering leadership. With a "looking back and planning forward" approach, the current perspective aims at deepening the contribution of NTS for surgeons to deal with the unexpected challenges posed by the COVID crisis, surgical emergencies, the introduction of new technologies in clinical practice, to understand how such skills may help shape the surgical leaders of the future.

Diversity and ethics in trauma and acute care surgery teams: results from an international survey

BACKGROUND

Investigating the context of trauma and acute care surgery, the article aims at understanding the factors that can enhance some ethical aspects, namely the importance of patient consent, the perceptiveness of the ethical role of the trauma leader, and the perceived importance of ethics as an educational subject.

METHODS

The article employs an international questionnaire promoted by the World Society of Emergency Surgery.

RESULTS

Through the analysis of 402 fully filled questionnaires by surgeons from 72 different countries, the three main ethical topics are investigated through the lens of gender, membership of an academic or non-academic institution, an official trauma team, and a diverse group. In general terms, results highlight greater attention paid by surgeons belonging to academic institutions, official trauma teams, and diverse groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results underline that some organizational factors (e.g., the fact that the team belongs to a university context or is more diverse) might lead to the development of a higher sensibility on ethical matters. Embracing cultural diversity forces trauma teams to deal with different mindsets. Organizations should, therefore, consider those elements in defining their organizational procedures.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Trauma and acute care teams work under tremendous pressure and complex circumstances, with their members needing to make ethical decisions quickly. The international survey allowed to shed light on how team assembly decisions might represent an opportunity to coordinate team member actions and increase performance.