Tag team improv preparing nurses for quality standards

Mr DeMille, nurses are ready for their close-up.

Students at CQUniversity are drawing on their theatre, drama and improvised acting skills as part of a new tag team simulation.

Professor Kerry Reid-Searl said it's helping nursing students focus on patient safety before they graduate.

The Tag Team Patient Safety Simulation (TTPSS) sessions are guided by the ‘director’ of a semi-structured script based on one or several National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) standards.

In the ‘play’, one student assumes the role of a patient, which the educator/director introduces through prologue.

The other students form the rest of the cast or the audience. Should an audience member feel they can contribute something, they can tag a member of the cast to switch roles.

At intermission, the students are encouraged to reflect on the scene that unfolded and its outcomes.

Reid-Searl said the approach actively engages large groups of students and promotes an "all inclusive" approach to student participation in simulation

“It helps graduates meet industry expectations of work-readiness by understanding healthcare team roles, by developing and enhancing communication, and through problem identification, teamwork and decision-making.

“Our project addresses the specific knowledge, skills and attributes industry expects of nursing students and graduate nurses regarding patient safety."

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