Innovating team performance: Strengthening pediatric resuscitation through nurse-integrated video review

Background: Pediatric trauma and medical resuscitations require fast thinking, organized teamwork, and clear communication. Video review has long been used to improve performance, but it has traditionally been led by physicians. As nurses, we carry a detailed understanding of bedside workflow and the realities of resuscitation that often isn’t fully captured in these reviews. Bringing nurses directly into the video review process offers a chance to create more meaningful discussions, highlight important operational details, and build a stronger, shared understanding of what actually happens during high-stress events. Objectives: Through this presentation, participants will: • To introduce a video review model that intentionally and meaningfully includes emergency nurses in case analysis. • To show how nursing perspectives improve team communication, situational awareness, and understanding of trauma and resuscitation workflows. • To identify themes and insights that emerge when nurses participate fully in the review process. • To highlight how this collaborative approach supports ongoing improvement in emergency care and team performance. Methods: From the start of the video review program in our pediatric emergency department, nurses were included as equal partners. Nursing, physician, and quality improvement leaders worked together to build the structure, goals, and expectations for the program. We established shared learning principles, emphasized psychological safety, and encouraged open, honest communication. Nursing staff helped identify which workflow and communication elements should be prioritized during review. Sessions were co-facilitated by nursing and medical leadership to ensure balanced discussion and representation. Themes were collected through observation of group dialogue, recurring patterns across cases, and reflections shared by participants. Results: Including nurses significantly enriched the discussions. Nurses frequently pointed out workflow issues, equipment readiness concerns, and communication gaps that had not been consistently recognized in physician-driven reviews. Their input improved role clarity, supported more reliable communication practices, and highlighted the cognitive load and rapid task-switching required at the bedside during pediatric trauma and medical resuscitations. Participants reported better cross-disciplinary understanding, increased confidence in speaking up, and a renewed sense of teamwork. The collaborative model offered a more complete picture of resuscitation care and supported ongoing professional growth. Implications and lessons learned: Bringing nurses into video review creates a more inclusive and realistic way to learn from actual resuscitations. Key takeaways include the need to establish psychological safety, provide structure for guided discussion, and recognize the unique contributions of each team member. Integrating nursing perspectives strengthens communication, supports shared mental models, and reinforces the essential role of nurses in high-acuity care.