Implementation of an in Situ Simulation-based Training Adapted from Morbidity and Mortality Conference Cases: Effect on the Occurrence of Aevents – Study Protocol of a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Morbidity and Mortality Conferences provides the necessary improvement measures required for patient safety. However, it is an underused resource mainly because the conclusions to be drawn from the discussion and their implications for practice are not always well integrated by inpatient care teams. We therefore propose in this study two interventions to optimise their efficacy; a passive feedback with wide dissemination by e-mail and/or on paper of the results of the Morbidity and Mortality Conference to inpatient care teams, and an active feedback with in situ inter-professional simulation-training programme in which scenarios will be based on cases studied in Morbidity and Mortality Conference. In the present study we hypothesise that the greatest reduction the occurrence of adverse event will be in the active feedback arm.Methods: A cluster randomized controlled study will be performed at four study sites. Passive feedback and active feedback arms will be compared to standard arm in terms of occurrence of adverse events. The trigger tool methodology used to identify adverse events is a retrospective review of inpatient records using “triggers” to isolate potential adverse events. Discussion: The in situ simulation training based on cases processed in Morbidity and Mortality Conference is built according to the main topics identified for the successful implementation of healthcare simulation in patient safety programmes: technical skills, nontechnical skills, assessment, effectiveness, and system probing. The in situ simulation-training programme conducted as part of the study has the potential to improve patient safety during hospitalisation. We therefore expect the greatest reduction in the occurrence of adverse events in patients hospitalised in the active feedback arm. This expected result would have a direct impact on patient safety and would place in situ simulation at the highest level of the Kirkpatrick model. Trial registration: T he study has been registered in Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02771613). Registered on May 12, 2016.