SimSimple in Practice – Trauma Handover at the Theatre Door

What makes a great trauma handover?

A clinical team recently used Visually Enhanced Mental Simulation (VEMS) to explore that question—right at the intersection of ED and OR.

In a high-stakes, time-critical trauma case, handover between emergency teams and operating theatre staff is one of the most important—and often most variable—moments in care. The team gathered in their clinical space to simulate this handover using their own laminated VEMS kit, laid across a stretcher. No mannequins, no equipment—just flat visuals representing the patient, equipment, blood products, and critical interventions.

Their goal?
To define the minimum data set needed to hand over a critically unwell trauma patient safely and efficiently. But the session quickly became about more than just content. It was also about relationships—how teams connect and communicate under pressure, and how trust, clarity, and role awareness shape that exchange.

Using VEMS allowed the team to rehearse the flow of information, practice rapid role-to-role transitions, and refine a shared mental model of what a “good handover” looks like at the theatre door.

It also created space to reflect:

• What has to be said?

• What can be seen, assumed, or confirmed visually?

• Who speaks—and who listens?

This simple, powerful exercise reinforced that even the most chaotic moments can be prepared for—with the right tools and the right people around the table.

While this team made their own kit, we’ve done the hard work for you. Our SimSimple Basekit and Trauma Module are ready-made, laminated, and designed for exactly this kind of training—so you can spend less time printing and more time practicing.