Are you looking for tools to instil a culture of safety among your teams? A free micro-learning course, TeamSTEPPS Canada™ Essentials, is now available to optimize team performance across the healthcare system. The course consists of six interactive microlearning sessions that demonstrate teamwork and communication tools that can be used to equip your team for improved team functioning.
"Initially, the material was designed to support the Safety Improvement Project Collaborative participants," says Maureen Sullivan-Bentz, Senior Program Manager at the Canadian Patient Safety Institute. "TeamSTEPPS Essentials has since been adapted and designed to accommodate the changing needs of today's learners in an interactive and engaging format. Teams can now easily access the course online and learn at their own pace."
The Essentials course is based on the five key principles encompassed in the evidence-based TeamSTEPPS CanadaTM framework. These principles are designed to optimize team performance: Team Structure, Communication, Leading Teams, Situation Monitoring, and Mutual Support. Each session is five minutes long; at the end of the program teams are familiarized with the tools to use in different situations.
Each of the sessions has been enhanced with simulation videos and has been contextualized for Canadian audiences. The Centre for Innovative Education and Simulation in Nursing at the University of Ottawa generously provided their simulation lab as the backdrop for filming; props were provided by the University of Ottawa; and the contributions of Ben Hrkach, both as Director and one of the actors, were invaluable in creating a fun and creative portrayal of the teamwork and communication tools.
Canada's Patient Safety Online Learning Centre
Canada's Patient Safety Online Learning Centre takes learning anywhere, anytime, at your own pace, on any electronic device. This free, open source learning centre will house a repository of e-courses from the Canadian Patient Safety Institute. It was designed to provide open access to healthcare leaders, managers, educators, and point-of-care providers to learn as efficiently as possible in a self-paced environment.
"The world of technology has advanced, and learning needs have evolved," says Gina de Souza, Senior Program Manager at the Canadian Patient Safety Institute. "People want on-demand learning in short snippets. Canada's Patient Safety Online Learning Centre is learner-centric and accommodates the increasing demands and diversity of learners using new tools, technologies, and design strategies."
Learners must register to gain access, and once registered, they can explore all of the available e-courses for free. There are no learning pre-requisites required. A certificate of completion is available to print after each course is completed.
Click here to learn more about Canada's Patient Safety Online Learning Centre and register for the TeamSTEPPS Essentials course. Watch for the quick-start microlearning version of the Guide to Patient Safety Improvement publication, to be added this fall.
