Intensive care nurses' perceptions of simulation-based team training for building patient safety in intensive care: A descriptive qualitative study.

Objectives: To describe intensive care nurses' perceptions of simulation-based team training for building patient safety in intensive care. Background: Failures in team processes are found to be contributory factors to incidents in an intensive care environment. Simulation-based training is recommended as a method to make health-care personnel aware of the importance of team working and to improve their competencies. Design: The study uses a qualitative descriptive design. Methods: Individual qualitative interviews were conducted with 18 intensive care nurses from May to December 2009, all of which had attended a simulation-based team training programme. The interviews were analysed by qualitative content analysis. Results: One main category emerged to illuminate the intensive care nurse perception: 'training increases awareness of clinical practice and acknowledges the importance of structured work in teams''. Three generic categories were found: 'realistic training contributes to safe care'', 'reflection and openness motivates learning'' and 'finding a common understanding of team performance''. Conclusions: Simulation-based team training makes intensive care nurses more prepared to care for severely ill patients. Team training creates a common understanding of how to work in teams with regard to patient safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]