Disaster Collaborative Exercises for Healthcare Teamwork in a Saudi Context

• Published in: International journal of disaster risk science Vol. 14; no. 2; pp. 183 - 193
• Main Authors: Sultan, Mohammed Ali Salem, Khorram-Manesh, Amir, Sørensen, Jarle Løwe, Berlin, Johan, Carlström, Eric
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore Springer Nature Singapore 01.04.2023; Springer; Springer Nature B.V; SpringerOpen
• Subjects: Analysis; Climate Change; Collaboration; Collaboration exercises; Command and control; Command and control systems; Communication; Control equipment; Cooperation; Decision making; Disaster education; Disaster management; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Emergency management; Environment; Health care; Health Sciences; Healthcare personnel training; Hierarchies; Hälsovetenskaper; Integration; Landscape/Regional and Urban Planning; Maturity; Medical personnel; Mental task performance; Natural Hazards; Saudi Arabia; Skills; Social aspects; Sustainable Development; Teams; Teamwork; Work groups; Saudi Arabia; United Kingdom; Sweden; Germany; Saudi Arabia; Emergency management; Collaboration exercises; Healthcare personnel training; Teamwork; Disaster education
• DOI: 10.1007/s13753-023-00484-z
• ISSN: 2095-0055

This study aimed to evaluate the development of healthcare teamwork during and after the collaboration tabletop exercises, through observation and interview methods. Integration and maturity theoretical models were employed to explain the collaborative challenges in teams that may suffer from unequally distributed power, hierarchies, and fragmentation. Using three-level collaboration tabletop exercises and the Command and control, Safety, Communication, Assessment, Treatment, Triage, Transport (CSCATTT) instrument, 100 healthcare workers were observed during each step in the implementation of the CSCATTT instrument using two simulated scenarios. The results show a lack of integration and team maturity among participants in the first scenario, leading to the delayed start of the activity, task distribution, and decision making. These shortcomings were improved in the second scenario. In-depth interviews with 20 participants in the second phase of the study revealed improved knowledge and practical skills, self-confidence, and ability in team building within trans-professional groups in the second scenario, which in concordance with the integration theory, was due to the attempts made in the first scenario. Additionally, there was an improvement in the team’s maturity, which in concordance with the maturity theory, was due to the knowledge and practical skills during scenario plays. These results indicate the importance of continuous tabletop training, and the use of CSCATTT as a collaborative instrument, to promote the development of collaboration and to test the concept of preparedness.