Client and family centred care (CFCC) is at the heart of everything we do at Holland Bloorview. Using innovative simulation-based training is one way we help our employees and students embed CFCC into their daily practice.

On March 9, the Holland Bloorview team that led the development of our client and family centred care simulation scenarios received a 20 Faces of Change Award from the Change Foundation. The award recognizes teams and individuals who have inspired positive CFCC change in health care in the province.

The team includes Laura Williams, director, client and family integrated care; Kathryn Parker, senior director, Teaching and Learning Institute and simulation lead; Amir Karmali, family centred-care specialist and family representative; Becky Quinlan, family centred-care specialist and family representative; Kimberley Siu-Chong, client and family relations facilitator; and Darlene Hubley, interprofessional education leader.

To ensure the simulation scenarios were authentic and meaningful, the team held a full-day planning session that brought together the experience and expertise of about 30 individuals, including interprofessional front line clinicians, families, administrative employees, leadership and simulation experts. The team based the scenarios on the lived experiences and stories shared by the participants at the development session. Each scenario ties directly to a core principle of family centred care - respect, information sharing, participation and collaboration.

Seven scenarios were developed and four are currently being used as educational tools at the hospital. Two scenarios are videotaped, allowing employees and students to observe and discuss the interactions between health-care providers, clients and families. Two scenarios are live simulations, allowing participants to actively engage with simulation-trained actors who portray families. Following each simulation, a debriefing session helps participants develop strategies to put CFCC into action.

As of April 2014, the four simulations are delivered monthly as part of a full-day mandatory new clinical employee orientation on CFCC. Existing employees and students are also invited to attend the simulation training.

Twenty individuals and teams from across the province received a 20 Faces of Change Award, which also celebrates the Change Foundation’s 20 year anniversary.

The team’s profile is available on the 20 Faces of Change website.

This CFCC simulation work was made possible through a Fellowship from the AMS Phoenix Project.