Going DEEP: guidelines for building simulation-based team assessments.
BACKGROUND
Whether for team training, research or evaluation, making effective use of simulation-based technologies requires robust, reliable and accurate assessment tools. Extant literature on simulation-based assessment practices has primarily focused on scenario and instructional design; however, relatively little direct guidance has been provided regarding the challenging decisions and fundamental principles related to assessment development and implementation.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this manuscript is to introduce a generalisable assessment framework supplemented by specific guidance on how to construct and ensure valid and reliable simulation-based team assessment tools. The recommendations reflect best practices in assessment and are designed to empower healthcare educators, professionals and researchers with the knowledge to design and employ valid and reliable simulation-based team assessments.


BACKGROUND
Information and actionable recommendations associated with creating assessments of team processes (non-technical 'teamwork' activities) and performance (demonstration of technical proficiency) are presented which provide direct guidance on how to Distinguish the underlying competencies one aims to assess, Elaborate the measures used to capture team member behaviours during simulation activities, Establish the content validity of these measures and Proceduralise the measurement tools in a way that is systematically aligned with the goals of the simulation activity while maintaining methodological rigour (DEEP).


CONCLUSIONS
The DEEP framework targets fundamental principles and critical activities that are important for effective assessment, and should benefit healthcare educators, professionals and researchers seeking to design or enhance any simulation-based assessment effort.
College of Health Professions, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA. jgrand@uakron.edu
James A
JA
Grand
Marina
M
Pearce
Tara A
TA
Rench
Georgia T
GT
Chao
Rosemarie
R
Fernandez
Steve W J
SW
Kozlowski
D019985:Benchmarking; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004650:Employee Performance Appraisal; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000592:standards*; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000592:standards*; D061214:Patient Safety; D016544:Patient Simulation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results