Team SAFE: A large-scale interprofessional simulation-based TeamSTEPPS® curriculum

Medical errors have been shown to be the third leading cause of death in the United States9 and poor communication is the root cause for more than two thirds of sentinel events.10 Several early Institute of Medicine (IOM) reports recommend interprofessional team training as a way to mitigate medical errors, with a 2003 report specifically recommending simulation as a valuable format for achieving this goal.1–3 In order to reduce medical errors and address the Quadruple Aim4 of healthcare, health professions students must graduate equipped with tools to help them support interprofessional team members in delivering safe, patient-centered care once in practice. Team SAFE (Simulation and Fearlessness Education), a longitudinal, simulation-based curriculum adapted from TeamSTEPPS® (a national, evidence-based patient safety and teamwork training framework) aids students in learning and practicing critical components of teamwork and patient safety in a low stakes environment.