Abstract Body: Background: Cardiac arrest (CA) remains a leading cause of in-hospital mortality, with survival-to-discharge rates ranging from 10% to 32%. Although timely, high-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation are critical, patient outcomes remain suboptimal. Post-resuscitation clinical debriefing (PRCD) has emerged as a valuable strategy to enhance interprofessional communication, support emotional well-being, improve patient safety, and facilitate reflective learning through a structured “plus-delta” approach. A system-wide review across a California hospital system, found that 48% of hospitals lacked a formal PRCD process, and none used a validated, standardized tool. At one of the urban system hospitals, no documentation or related PRCD data had been collected.
Aim: Within a three-month time frame, the Interdisciplinary Resuscitation Team (IRT) at the hospital aimed to increase the completion rate of post-resuscitation clinical debriefings (PRCD) by 25% following the implementation of the new DISCERN tool and its accompanying AI-driven educational video modules.
Methods: This study used a pre- and post-intervention approach, in which a PRCD tool (DISCERN) was introduced through two AI-originally scripted educational videos: one on the importance of PRCD and another demonstrating tool use. IRT members were invited via email to participate in watching the AI video and completing pre- and post-qualitative evaluations on debriefing communication and confidence. The primary outcome was the PRCD completion rates of 27%, over the three-month period.
Results: Six PRCD tools were completed, achieving a 27% completion rate—up from zero—and exceeding the 25% target. Qualitative responses on the DISCERN Tool revealed clinical IRT members found it valuable for identifying procedural gaps and improving resuscitation communication. The IRT’s also identified barriers that included time constraints, increased workload, acuity, a 10% rise in patient census, and a TJC survey.
Conclusion: Using the PRCD DISCERN Tool was instrumental in identifying procedural gaps and supporting improvements in resuscitation communication, according to participants statements from the post-survey open ended questions. This initiative demonstrated the feasibility of structured PRCD using the DISCERN tool, with continued focus needed on sustainability, system-wide adoption, and addressing operational challenges.