Pediatrics Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Pediatrics, including details on child development, perinatal medicine, child health care.

Evaluation of a multidisciplinary pediatric mock trauma code educational initiative: a pilot study.

Mikrogianakis A, Osmond MH, Nuth JE, Shephard A, Gaboury I, Jabbour M

Department of Pediatrics, Division of Emergency Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Ontario.

BACKGROUND: Our aim was to develop and evaluate a multidisciplinary pediatric mock trauma code orientation program for residents on their pediatric hospital rotation. METHODS: A before and after evaluation of trauma team residents from various programs was conducted. The 1-hour educational session consisted of a 15-minute mock trauma code, a debriefing and teaching intervention, and then a new, postintervention mock trauma code. Before and after each session, residents completed a self-assessment questionnaire. All codes were videotaped and later evaluated by two blinded observers using a standardized evaluation tool to assess patient management and team functioning. RESULTS: Thirty-seven prequestionnaire (pre) and postquestionnaire (post) pairs were completed. Residents reported a significant improvement in their (1) comfort in managing pediatric trauma (median pre 3, post 5, p < 0.001); (2) understanding of their role on the trauma team (median pre 4.5, post 6, p < 0.001); (3) familiarity with the resuscitation room (median pre 4, post 5, p = 0.001); (4) comfort with procedural skills (median pre 4, post 5, p = 0.001); (5) awareness of pediatric trauma resuscitation management priorities (median pre 5, post 6, p = 0.007). Postintervention, residents reported lower knowledge scores in locating equipment in the resuscitation room (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in team performance on the videotaped assessments (premean score = 79.8, postmean score = 79.5). CONCLUSIONS: The pediatric mock trauma code educational initiative improved residents' self-reported confidence, knowledge, and comfort level in managing pediatric trauma. The experience also raised residents' awareness of knowledge gaps. We were unable to measure a significant change in team functioning post intervention.

Published 11 March 2008 in J Trauma, 64(3): 761-7.
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