Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best PracticeTM Operations

Developing pre-licensure interprofessional and stroke care competencies through skills-based simulations

Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) in stroke care is accepted as best practice and necessary given the multi-system challenges and array of professionals involved. Our two-part stroke team simulations offer an intentional interprofessional educational experience (IPE) embedded in pre-licensure occupational therapy, physical therapy, pharmacy, medicine, nursing and speech-language pathology curricula. This six-year mixed method program evaluation aimed to determine if simulation delivery differences necessitated by COVID-19 impacted students' IPC perception, ratings, and reported learning. Following both simulations, the Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Assessment Scale (ICCAS) and free-text self-reported learning was voluntarily and anonymously collected. A factorial ANOVA using the ICCAS interprofessional competency factors compared scores across delivery methods. Content and category analysis was done for free-text responses. Overall, delivery formats did not affect positive changes in pre-post ICCAS scores. However, pre and post ICCAS scores were significantly different for interprofessional competencies of roles/responsibilities and collaborative patient/family centered approach. Analysis of over 10,000 written response to four open-ended questions revealed the simulation designs evoked better understanding of others' and own scope of practice, how roles and shared leadership change based on context and client need, and the value of each team member's expertise. Virtual-experience-only students noted preference for an in-person stroke clinic simulation opportunity.

A Train-the-Trainer Simulation Program Implemented Between Two International Partners

With the expansion of global health initiatives focused on healthcare professional training, it is important to ensure that such training is scalable and sustainable. Simulation-based education (SBE) is a highly effective means to achieve these goals. Although SBE is widely used in the United States, its integration globally is limited, which can impact the potential of SBE in many countries. The purpose of this perspective piece is to demonstrate how a train-the-trainer program can help in the development of an international SBE program and specifically what unique issues must be considered in operationalizing this strategy.

Establishment of a simulation centre: Challenges and solutions

The change in curriculum and increasing need for active healthcare professionals providing quality patient care has emphasised simulation-based regular training, reskilling and simulation centres to deliver these. However, there is limited literature on how to establish a simulation centre and overcome the challenges relating to developing faculty and maintaining the financial viability of these centres. Our review focuses on this gap in the current literature. The findings are presented as 1) identification of the methods of establishing a simulation centre, 2) setting up the resource in a simulation centre and 3) faculty development and curricular integration in a simulation centre. The space of a simulation centre depends on the organisation's or training body's needs. There is no single design which is recommended. Establishing a simulation centre should consider the needs of the organisation, educators and learners along with the available resources and ensure that curriculum integration and standards are met.

Form for planning and elaborating high fidelity simulation scenarios: A validation study

Every human being has the right to safe, dignified and harm-free care in health institutions. High fidelity simulation has been used in teaching for the training and continuing education of health professionals to promote quality, safe and humanized patient care. Elaborating scenarios is an important phase to provide a simulation-based experience, and is relevant in the teaching-learning process. The objective of this study was to validate the content and applicability of the High Fidelity Simulation Scenario Planning and Development Form and its Operational Manual. The form could be used to development of scenarios to medicine, nursing, physiotherapy and as well as other specialties in the healthcare. This was a methodological validation study of the form and its manual content by experts in simulation and its feasibility, conducted in two phases: Phase 1: eight experts were selected using the “snowball” sampling technique to validate the content measured by the content validity index; Phase 2 (test): the form and its operational manual validated by the experts were made available to 28 participants in order to elaborate scenarios for the feasibility assessment and participation in the focus group. All items in the form and in the operational manual reached a content validity index above 0.80. The total content validity index was 0.98. The evaluation of the usability of the instruments carried out by the participants reached a percentage above 96.43% in all alternatives except for the item “It was easy to use the form to build your scenario” (75%). Eight participants were present in the focus group. Focus group discussions were categorized into completeness, practicality and usefulness according to comments and suggestions. The form and its operational manual proved to be valid instruments.