Mock Codes in a Radiology Department for Systems Improvement and Staff Competency

This article explores the use of mock codes in a radiology area in a 550-bed teaching hospital to see if they identify inadequacies in systems, standards of care, and teamwork that could be remediated in the interest of optimal patient care. Mock codes were run in different units in the radiology department, two newly opened. A total of 38 multidisciplinary responders participated in the mock codes, some from radiology and others from hospital code teams. Responder arrivals and actions were timed and evaluated for teamwork and standards of care. Systems issues were also identified. Debriefing occurred after each session, and participants were asked to complete a postsession evaluation. Significant systems, standards of care, and teamwork shortfalls were identified related to code paging, wayfinding, access to emergency equipment, team leadership, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Participants rated the event as a valuable use of their time. Remedial discussions took place during debriefings, and corrective actions began after the sessions. The mock codes were useful exercises that identified systems issues and allowed staff to reflect on their teamwork and resuscitation skills to determine how they could respond more effectively during future events. Remediation included improvements in paging and wayfinding and the implementation of team training and emergency equipment reviews. Continued evaluation will take place using mock codes.