Results so far

More than 7295 professionals have followed the lectures. In addition, a number of subsequent training sessions, using the simulation set-up, have been arranged locally at many of the hospitals. This kind of cross-professional training has never been done before in Norway.
The effects have been evaluated by self-reported change of knowledge and confidence by participants, a number of quality indicators and observation of structural changes at each hospital (references in a subsequent section).
The feedback is overwhelmingly positive; especially many of the health care workers find the local training with their own well-known colleagues, procedures, and equipment very useful.
The focus on team performance rather than individuals is important, but there seems to be need for training the instructors, so that the debriefing is performed in a reassuring and safe way.
Another important feature of BEST is that after each training session the team members can use what they learned immediately on real trauma patients. The cost have been modest, but the project needs a tight follow-up from the local co-ordinators to ensure that e.g. scheduled training sessions are actually arranged. The fact that the project focuses on the team performance rather than the individual performance is rated important. The value of training locally with the trainee’s own well-known colleagues, procedures and equipment is emphasised.