INACSL Standards of Best Practice: SimulationSM Professional Integrity

Simulation-Based Education in Physical Therapist Education: A Survey of Current Practice

OBJECTIVES

The purposes of this study were to describe the current use of (1) simulation in student physical therapist professional education programs and (2) standards of best practice (SOBP) for simulation-based education (SBE) in physical therapist education.

METHODS

Two surveys were created about current use of SBE in student physical therapist professional education programs in the United States. The first survey contained questions about the program, including the best contact person regarding simulation. The second survey investigated simulation use within the context of SOBP. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

Survey 1 was sent to the program director at all fully accredited physical therapist programs (N = 236), and 143 responses were returned (61% response rate). Survey 2 was sent to the 136 individuals identified in Survey 1, and we received 81 completed surveys (60%). Over 90% of programs reported including SBE in their curricula, with 86% providing 3 or more experiences. A median of 1 core faculty at each program reported training in SBE, but 23% reported no training. A lack of training in specific elements of the SOBP for SBE was reported by 40% to 50% of faculty. Limited use of SOBP was reported, and use of outcome measures without validation was common.

CONCLUSION

Although SBE is commonly used in physical therapist education, many faculties (1) do not have training in SBE, (2) do not consistently follow the SOBP, and (3) utilize unvalidated outcome measures. Limited faculty training in SBE and inconsistent inclusion of the SOBP suggest student learning in simulation is not optimized.

IMPACT

These results show that, despite increased use of simulation in physical therapist education programs, there is a dearth of faculty trained in SBE and inconsistent use of SOBP. Addressing these deficiencies could help to optimize the benefits of SBE in physical therapist education.

Simulation-Based Education in Physical Therapist Professional Education: A Scoping Review

OBJECTIVES

The purposes of this study were to (1) describe and summarize the use of simulation-based education (SBE) with student physical therapists in the international literature and (2) describe the application and integration of standards of best practice (SOBP) for SBE reported in published physical therapy education research.

METHODS

Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science, and ERIC databases were searched. The search included any published study that involved the use of SBE with student physical therapists. Because this was a scoping review, only descriptive statistics were compiled; no methodological quality assessment was performed.

RESULTS

This scoping review revealed a significant increase in literature describing SBE with student physical therapists in the past 10 years. Simulation was used to address learning objectives across a variety of content areas and clinical settings. Communication skills were the most common objectives for simulation. Limited use of SOBP, published in 2016, was reported, and use of author-generated outcome measures without validation was common.

CONCLUSIONS

Although there has been an increase in literature reporting the use of SBE with student physical therapists across many practice areas and settings, many articles reported limited use and integration of published SOBP and frequently utilized outcome measures that had not been validated.

IMPACT

The findings show that limited use of validated outcome measures and SOBP constrain the capacity for reproducing studies, comparing findings among studies, and completing systematic reviews that could inform and optimize best practices for the use of SBE in physical therapist professional education. Further research on SBE in physical therapy would benefit from investigations that integrated and reported the use of SOBP for standardized patients, simulation design, and delivery and assessment of learning outcomes over time at multiple Kirkpatrick learning levels.

Cenário para treinamento por simulação sobre comunicação de notícias difíceis: um estudo de validação

Resumo Objetivo construir e validar um cenário de simulação realística sobre comunicação de notícias difíceis no contexto de cuidados paliativos para graduandos de enfermagem. Método estudo metodológico, que seguiu três etapas; construção do cenário, fundamentada nos referenciais sobre simulação, comunicação de notícias difíceis e cuidados paliativos; validação de conteúdo, na qual nove juízes analisaram a adequação do cenário, por meio de uma escala Likert, para computar o Índice Validade de Conteúdo (IVC) e, de sugestões descritas no instrumento de análise do cenário; teste do cenário, que ocorreu com 15 estudantes de graduação em enfermagem que o analisaram pela Escala de Design da Simulação (EDS). Nesta amostra, a análise da fidedignidade da escala foi verificada pelo alfa de Cronbach. Resultados os juízes consideraram o conteúdo do cenário adequado. O IVC do cenário foi 0,84. Após o teste do cenário, os estudantes apontaram a adequação do design da simulação considerando-a adequada para a resolução do problema. O alfa de Cronbach foi 0,89 para o total da EDS. Conclusão e implicações para a prática o processo de construção e validação do cenário sobre comunicação de notícias difíceis resultou na produção de um material válido e consistente para ensino e pesquisas na área de cuidados paliativos.

Transforming National League for Nursing Advancing Care Excellence for Seniors Unfolding Cases into Virtual Simulations: An Innovative Approach for Interactive Learning

Background

Two National League for Nursing (NLN) Advancing Care Excellence for Seniors (ACE.S) cases were transformed into engaging and interactive virtual simulation learning experiences due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

The purpose of this article is to describe the process of designing and implementing this novel approach to virtual simulation.

Results

Faculty aligned each virtual simulation with existing course outcomes, student learning outcomes, concept-based learning principles, and best practices of The International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) standards.

Conclusions

Practical strategies used to convert these unfolding case studies into virtual simulations for a small private Christian university of undergraduate junior level accelerated nursing students will be revealed.

Motivation: bringing up the rear in nursing education. Motivational elements in simulation. The participants' perspective

BACKGROUND

Motivation is a fundamental element of human behavior and learning. We believe that this aspect has not been sufficiently addressed in the field of simulation-based learning in nursing.

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to explore the views and perspectives of students involved in simulation-based learning related to their process of motivation. Also, to identify the motivational elements they perceived, as well as the aspects that could reduce their motivation in the simulation sessions.

METHODS

A qualitative study was conducted based on content analysis from 7 focus groups composed of simulation students (n = 101).

RESULTS

The study obtained 26 subcategories, 10 categories, and 2 emerging themes (in total, 17 motivational elements and 7 demotivational elements).

CONCLUSION

The motivational elements were related with the non-directive/imposing style of the facilitator, the adequate structure and planning of the sessions, the possibility of transferring what was learned to the real world, and especially the atmosphere created in the simulation session. The main demotivational elements were directed simulation, an uncomfortable environment, and the planning and structure of the sessions (with an excessive theoretical content or with stringent evaluations).

Simulation in Undergraduate Education

Simulation is an integral component of undergraduate nursing education because it allows for a safe, timely, and prescriptive approach to meet learning objectives at the levels of individual simulations, courses, and academic programs. This review of the literature provides an overview of steps taken to move simulation forward in undergraduate nursing education, and it highlights educational theories, research, best practices, and policy statements underpinning modern nursing simulation. This chapter outlines simulation and curriculum integration approaches and provides examples of participant, course, and program outcomes.

Manifesto for healthcare simulation practice

A pandemic has sent the world into chaos. It has not only upended our lives; hundreds of thousands of lives have already been tragically lost. The global crisis has been disruptive, even a threat, to healthcare simulation, affecting all aspects of operations from education to employment. While simulationists around the world have responded to this crisis, it has also provided a stimulus for the continued evolution of simulation. We have crafted a manifesto for action, incorporating a more comprehensive understanding of healthcare simulation, beyond tool, technique or experience, to understanding it now as a professional practice. Healthcare simulation as a practice forms the foundation for the three tenets comprising the manifesto: safety, advocacy and leadership. Using these three tenets, we can powerfully shape the resilience of healthcare simulation practice for now and for the future. Our call to action for all simulationists is to adopt a commitment to comprehensive safety, to advocate collaboratively and to lead ethically.

The impact of simulation education on self-efficacy towards teaching for nurse educators

AIM

The objective of this study was to assess the impact of a simulation workshop on self-efficacy towards teaching for nurse educators in India. Additionally, we sought to revise and validate a tool to measure self-efficacy in teaching for use with a global audience.

BACKGROUND

Simulation is an evidence-based teaching and learning method and is increasingly used in nursing education globally.

INTRODUCTION

As new technology and teaching methods such as simulation continue to evolve, it is important for new as well as experienced nurse educators globally to have confidence in their teaching skills and abilities.

METHODS

The study included (1) instrument revision, and measures of reliability and validation, (2) an 8-h faculty development workshop intervention on simulation, (3) pre- and post-survey of self-efficacy among nurse educators, and (4) investigation of relationship between faculty socio-demographics and degree of self-efficacy.

RESULTS

The modified tool showed internal consistency (r = 0.98) and was validated by international faculty experts. There were significant improvements in total self-efficacy (P < 0.001) and subscale scores among nurse educators after the simulation workshop intervention when compared to pre-survey results. No significant relationships were found between socio-demographic variables and degree of self-efficacy.

DISCUSSION

Strong self-efficacy in teaching among nurse educators is crucial for effective learning to occur.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING

Results indicated the simulation workshop was effective in significantly improving self-efficacy towards teaching for nurse educators using an internationally validated tool.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING POLICY

The Minister of Health in India recently called for improvements in nursing education. Introducing nursing education on simulation as a teaching method in India and globally to improve self-efficacy among teachers is an example of a strategy towards meeting this call.

The Use of Simulation to Teach Nursing Students and Clinicians Palliative Care and End-of-Life Communication: A Systematic Review

Objectives:

To present the findings of a systematic review on the use of simulation-based learning experiences (SBLEs) to teach communication skills to nursing students and clinicians who provide palliative and end-of-life care to patients and their families.

Background:

Palliative care communication skills are fundamental to providing holistic patient care. Since nurses have the greatest amount of direct exposure to patients, building such communication competencies is essential. However, exposure to patients and families receiving palliative and end-of-life care is often limited, resulting in few opportunities to learn these skills in the clinical setting. Simulation-based learning experiences can be used to supplement didactic teaching and clinical experiences to build the requisite communication skills.

Methods:

Searches of CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsychINFO, ERIC, and Web of Science electronic databases and Grey Literature returned 442 unique records. Thirty articles met the established criteria, including the SBLE must contain a nursing role.

Results:

Simulation-based learning experience are being used to teach palliative and end-of-life communication skills to nursing students and clinicians. Lack of standardization, poor evaluation methods, and limited exposure to the entire interprofessional team makes it difficult to identify and disseminate validated best practices.

Conclusion:

While the need for further research is acknowledged, we recommend this evidence be augmented by training programs that utilize SBLEs through (1) applying standards, (2) clearly specifying goals and objectives, (3) integrating externally validated scenarios, and (4) employing rigorous evaluation methods and measures that link the SBLE to the training objectives and desired clinician practice behaviors and patient outcomes.

The Association of Standardized Patient Educators (ASPE) Standards of Best Practice (SOBP)

In this paper, we define the Association of Standardized Patient Educators (ASPE) Standards of Best Practice (SOBP) for those working with human role players who interact with learners in a wide range of experiential learning and assessment contexts. These human role players are variously described by such terms as standardized/simulated patients or simulated participants (SP or SPs). ASPE is a global organization whose mission is to share advances in SP-based pedagogy, assessment, research, and scholarship as well as support the professional development of its members. The SOBP are intended to be used in conjunction with the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) Standards of Best Practice: Simulation^SM, which address broader simulation practices. We begin by providing a rationale for the creation of the ASPE SOBP, noting that with the increasing use of simulation in healthcare training, it is incumbent on ASPE to establish SOBP that ensure the growth, integrity, and safe application of SP-based educational endeavors. We then describe the three and a half year process through which these standards were developed by a consensus of international experts in the field. Key terms used throughout the document are defined. Five underlying values inform the SOBP: safety, quality, professionalism, accountability, and collaboration. Finally, we describe five domains of best practice: safe work environment; case development; SP training for role portrayal, feedback, and completion of assessment instruments; program management; and professional development. Each domain is divided into principles with accompanying key practices that provide clear and practical guidelines for achieving desired outcomes and creating simulations that are safe for all stakeholders. Failure to follow the ASPE SOBP could compromise the safety of participants and the effectiveness of a simulation session. Care has been taken to make these guidelines precise yet flexible enough to address the diversity of varying contexts of SP practice. As a living document, these SOBP will be reviewed and modified periodically under the direction of the ASPE Standards of Practice Committee as SP methodology grows and adapts to evolving simulation practices.