Development of Crisis Resource Management Skills: A Literature Review

- Simulation is a popular way of teaching crew resource management skills.
- Mixed evidence exists proving efficacy of simulation programs teaching crew resource management skills.
- A literature review of 31 relevant articles yielded variable results.

The use of crisis resource management principles (CRM), including problem solving, situational awareness, resource utilization, communication, and leadership, have been thought to reduce adverse patient outcomes and lead to greater teamwork in healthcare settings. Education programs using high-fidelity simulation (HFS) has become an increasingly popular strategy to teach these skills. There is little evidence however demonstrating the effectiveness of this type of education on actual performance of these skills. In order to explore the effectiveness of HFS education on development of CRM skills, a literature review was undertaken to identify evidence available in the healthcare literature. Thirty-one articles were identified that met criteria for this review. Articles were highly variable in methods, population used, educational intervention, evaluative method, and results. The following paper outlines a summary of these results, including synthesis of findings and recommendations for research in this area.