Prompting with electronic checklist improves clinician performance in medical emergencies: a high-fidelity simulation study.

Background: Inefficient processes of care delivery during acute resuscitation can compromise the "Golden Hour," the time when quick interventions can rapidly determine the course of the patient's outcome. Checklists have been shown to be an effective tool for standardizing care models. We developed a novel electronic tool, the Checklist for Early Recognition and Treatment of Acute Illness (CERTAIN) to facilitate standardized evaluation and treatment approach for acutely decompensating patients.

Temporal trends in the utilization of vasopressors in intensive care units: an epidemiologic study.

Background: The choice of vasopressor use in the intensive care unit (ICU) depends primarily on provider preference. This study aims to describe the rate of vasopressor utilization and the trends of each vasoactive agent usage in the ICU over the span of 7 years in a tertiary referral center.

Methods: All adult ICU admissions, including medical, cardiac, and surgical ICUs from January 1st, 2007 through December 31st, 2013 were included in this study.

Development and validation of clinical performance assessment in simulated medical emergencies: an observational study.

Background: Critical illness is a time-sensitive process which requires practitioners to process vast quantities of data and make decisions rapidly. We have developed a tool, the Checklist for Early Recognition and Treatment of Acute Illness (CERTAIN), aimed at enhancing care delivery in such situations. To determine the efficacy of CERTAIN and similar cognitive aids, we developed rubric for evaluating provider performance in a simulated medical resuscitation environments.