Simulation training comes to Community Hospital of Anaconda

Specialized training is an asset that can benefit almost any business or service provider and Simulation in Motion Montana, Inc. (SIM-MT) has developed a valuable program aimed at doing precisely that. The SIM team, in collaboration with Five Peaks Coalition, wrapped up their latest round of training including presentations at the Community Hospital of Anaconda. They also visited Silver Bow, Gallatin, Madison, Beaverhead, and Jefferson counties, with a goal to include professionals from emergency rooms, clinics, obstetrics, EMS agencies, and community advocates, to focus on the topic of maternal substance abuse and mental health care in rural Montana with increased numbers and decreased resources.

“Simulation training reduces medical errors, improves patient outcomes, increases team performance, identifies latent patient care threats and so much more. As a non-profit, Simulation in Motion Montana, Inc. ensures all clinicians in our region have access to simulation education to improve patient outcomes and team performance,” according to the SIM-MT mission statement provided by Simulation Specialist Katlin Tonkin, who explained her experience participating in the presentation.

“Multiple experiences of acting as the patient taught me that the best care involved the team having clear roles, reassuring me I was in a 'safe space without judgment' and having a compassionate approach. It has been so beneficial to have conversations with each learning group about community and statewide resources and learn strategies to help with perinatal mental health and addiction services. SIM-MT is compiling maternal substance use disorder (SUD) resources to provide regional/statewide suggestions,” Tonkin said.

For the first of two parts of their most recent training, SIM-MT Simulation Specialist Charity Stephens performed in a mock scenario where she embodied the character of a mother who struggled with substance abuse during her pregnancy but got clean before giving birth. For the second part she played the same character who had relapsed postpartum and was on the verge of losing custody of her children and needed immediate medical intervention to protect her subsequent pregnancy.

The purpose of the training was to allow local medical staff at CHA to observe and interact with Stephens. Following the presentation both groups of professionals discussed effective approaches and interventions and also provided feedback to the SIM’s personnel to assist in future training simulations.

“SIM-MT is a fantastic group that has been very beneficial to our rural hospital. The simulations that they have provided for us here at CHA really helps our staff enhance their skills and keep them proficient in taking care of our patients. As for myself, the recent workshops that we had here in July and August were very eye opening. Dealing with opioid overdose and initiating suboxone therapy are not common in obstetrics, but sadly the occurrences are increasing, so getting to see what that looks like in these simulations was very educational,” explained Mya Hawkes, OB manager at Community Hospital of Anaconda.

Objectives of the simulation are reviewing existing maternal care assets and identifying gaps in services and referral networks that may occur. Reviewing agency and facility roles in handoff and communication continuum. Exploring the potential for dual diagnosis substance abuse combined with mental health and determining inter and intra agency resources needed by the patient. Performing appropriate medical care for a patient experiencing maternal and postpartum substance abuse disorder and a potential mental health crisis, and identifying local challenges that may prevent the patient from accessing necessary mental health and substance abuse services.

Tonkin explained that they are eager to perform more maternal simulations. 

“We currently do suicide prevention trainings, many pre hospital trauma trainings, Obstetrics – the sky is the limit really. It’s based on the education a setting needs to address high-acuity, low-volume scenarios, to help with improving knowledge, skills, and behavior changes for their staff and students, to ultimately improve patient outcomes,” she said, adding, “we do neonate, pediatrics, adult care scenarios, and we use high fidelity manikins as well as standardized patient actors.”

Another imperative piece of SIM-MT’s objective is discussing resources, or rather, gaps in the system and communities that are in need of further assistance. Linking Infants & Families to Supports (LIFTS) service offered through the Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies organization, where healthcare providers and families can find regional/statewide healthcare services, including mental health and addiction services can be found at www.hmhb-lifts.org. SIM-MT created a Padlet, a wonderful online directory addressing perinatal health and addiction resources compiled during simulations to improve outcomes for perinatal substance use disorder. For more information visit padlet.com/SIMMT/five-peaks-coalition-sim-mt-collaboration-5-counties-in-sout-c8c9ec2jfdlmh5v5 or simmt.org.