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Learning Objective 1: The learner will identify key components for simulation lab error tracking systems.
Learning Objective 2: The learner will identify ethical and legal considerations in the design of error recovery strategies for simulated environments
Errors in health care result in additional health costs, patient harm, and even death. Although much has been written about nursing errors in health care, little is known about errors in simulated learning environments. The Texas Board of Nursing includes Safety Advocate as an essential competency for nursing graduates. We sought to understand the nature of simulation errors in a rural BSN program in Texas.
Methods
Following a review of the literature, we developed a web-based strategy that informs improvement of our safety curriculum, involves students as active learners in error recovery, and moves us forward in the design of a safety culture for simulation. We are testing the Safe T Sim error reporting system and awaiting IRB approval for our study. Faculty and staff will receive training on the system this summer and students will be introduced to it as a part of orientation in the fall. We are utilizing an undergraduate nursing research assistant for this project.
Findings
Researchers have identified fear of punishment and lack of positive responses from faculty as the primary barriers to student reporting of health care errors. We seek to understand how our safety curriculum and simulated environment impact safe provision of care during simulation. Nursing students and faculty will carry out this error recovery strategy inside the simulated learning environment. Data from the study will guide curriculum improvement efforts, facilitate student learning outcomes, and will measure faculty progress in establishing positive experiences where students feel safe to report errors.
Conclusion
Safe T Sim exposes students to error recovery early in their education in a fail safe environment. The learning strategy facilitates acquisition of knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to move us forward in the elimination of shame and blame in error reporting and gives the faculty a powerful learning tool.