Using Systems Thinking to Identify Staff and Patient Safety Issues in Infectious Disease Simulation Scenarios

Abstract

Background: Simulation scenarios can be used to identify staff and patient safety issues in healthcare services. Methods: A systems thinking approach was used to analyze qualitative data from five simulation reports and five interviews with facilitators and participants in a hospital setting. Results: Infection prevention measures created delays in providing timely patient care due to altered roles for staff and constraints imposed by hospital equipment and physical structure. Conclusions: Systems thinking can be used to analyze the outcomes of simulation scenarios and may help healthcare professionals better understand and work with the affordances and constraints of their healthcare service.