Name
#82 Joint Clinical and Operational Readiness Training for DoW and VA Teams
Content Presented On Behalf Of:
Navy
Services/Agencies represented
US Navy, Veterans Health Administration/Veterans Affairs (VHA/VA)
Session Type
Poster
Date
Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Start Time
5:00 PM
End Time
7:00 PM
Location
Prince Georges Expo Hall E
Focus Areas/Topics
Clinical Care, Wellbeing, Policy/Management/Administrative, Trending/Hot Topics or Other not listed
Learning Outcomes
1. Demonstrate the uses of joint DoD and VA in-situ simulation training to enhance clinical and operational readiness of active duty, reserve, and VA medical, dental and enlisted staff across healthcare disciplines, thus developing a more well-rounded medically ready force.
2. Assess how simulation and the development of simulation educators is being used to improve staff and residency education in medical emergencies, adverse events, and difficult communication.
3. Appraise how joint simulation training is being used to enhance operational readiness for mass casualty, damage control resuscitation, and prolonged casualty care, including preparing dental officers for their existing operational roles, as well as using simulation to explore additional ways that dental can support in operational settings.
4. Discuss how simulation is used to enhance the mental resiliency of individuals and teams by focusing on topics, such as suicide recognition, acute stress disorder, expectant casualty care, and the morals and ethics of prolonged casualty care.
5. Explain the utilization of local resources and subject matter experts to execute simulation-based training in participants’ facilities.
Session Currently Live
Description
Medical emergency preparedness, to include mass casualty, is often relegated to certificate, skills-based training like Tactical Combat Casualty Care and Advanced Trauma Life Support that occur at one to five year intervals (pending certifying body and operational requirements). While these courses are imperative and foundational, their infrequent and classroom-based model does not directly translate to medical team readiness. To achieve this, in-situ simulation training is needed where medical personnel are challenged to respond to an emergency utilizing the actual materials, equipment, and processes they would employ in a real-life event. Our team has piloted a joint clinical and operational emergency team training that achieves just that. Furthermore, ancillary, support and specialty medical service providers are often under-utilized in medical emergency response. In situations of distributed military operations and large scale civilian medical emergencies, manpower resources are finite and the demand will overwhelm the supply. Our training program is spearheaded by dentists and supported by physicians, surgeons, nurses, lab officers and corpsmen subject matter experts (SME). With our colleagues, we have delivered simulation-based training in mass casualty, medical emergencies, adverse events, triage, trauma, prolonged casualty care without resupply, expectant casualty care, and mental resiliency. The curriculum utilizes rapid cycle deliberate practice, experiential learning, skills sessions, and simulation scenarios. Additionally, by integrating local standard operating procedures, participants can test their processes and identify areas of improvement (systems probing and process improvement). Soft skills like closed loop communication, critical decision making, lateral thinking, and roles and resource allocation are also explored. We are bridging the silos between professions, federal organizations, military branches, and active duty and reserve to change the trajectory of the way we train, thus embedding joint in-situ simulation into the fabric of our teams. In order to improve the way, we as healthcare providers across organizations function together, we must train together. Collaboration and sharing resources of space, equipment and subject matter expertise between our organizations provides enhanced training opportunities for everyone. These partnerships benefit DoD and VA facilities and teams across the globe.