Bug Busters: Who you gonna call? Professional development for healthcare simulation technology specialists

Role of a Nursing Informatics Specialist in a Clinical Simulation Laboratory: The Catalytic Link

BACKGROUND

Technology in health care is pervasive and growing exponentially. Simulation in academic settings also continues to expand with the use of advancing technologies.

PROBLEM

Technology appropriate usage and implementation can become problematic without experts with the right skills in nursing simulation labs. Gaps in technology utilization, simulation best practices, and data analytics now exist.

APPROACH

A school of nursing employed a nurse informaticist in its simulation laboratory to address the complexities of technology usage and aid in data analytics.

OUTCOMES

The nurse informaticist was effective at promoting simulation use, increasing faculty and learner usage of the simulation space. The initiation of data capturing was also achieved.

CONCLUSIONS

Highly trained nurse informaticists are ready to address the unique complexities of advanced simulation environments.

A Mixed Methods Study Identifying the Competencies of Health Care Simulation Technicians

INTRODUCTION

Health care simulation technicians (HSTs), also referred to as simulation operations specialists, are essential to the delivery of simulation-based education. The HST role draws on a broad range of knowledge, skills, and attitude competencies. However, because of the neoteric nature of the HST role and the ambiguity surrounding the core responsibilities of the position, it has proved difficult to identify the competencies required to perform this role successfully. This study aims to identify the knowledge, skills, and attitude competencies required by HSTs.

METHODS

A mixed methods approach was used in this study. Data were collected from (1) online searches of HST job descriptions and (2) semistructured interviews about the competencies required by HSTs with 10 HSTs, 10 health care simulation educators, and 10 health care simulation center managers/director. The data from the job descriptions and interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis, using a framework method to guide the coding.

RESULTS

A total of 59 competencies were identified from the job descriptions and 65 competencies from the interviews. This analysis resulted in the identification of 9 competency domains: 3 knowledge domains (technical, clinical, and pedagogic), 4 skills domains (resourcefulness, pedagogic, team, and technical), and 2 attitudes domains (professional and "can-do" mentality).

CONCLUSIONS

The identification of the competencies required by HSTs will support the selection of candidates with the attributes that will allow them to be successful in this role and guide continuous professional development opportunities for current and future HSTs.

Preliminary report of a simulation community of practice needs analysis

Aim

To understand the current needs related to education and training, and other investment priorities, in simulated learning environments in Australia following a significant period of government funding for simulation-based learning.

Methods

A mixed methods study, comprising qualitative focus groups and individual interviews, followed by a quantitative cross-sectional survey informed by themes emerging from the qualitative data.

Findings

Two focus groups and 22 individual interviews were conducted. Participants included simulation educators, technical users and new adopters. Survey data were collected from 152 responses. Barriers at the introduction and maintenance stages of simulated learning included irregular staff training resulting in inconsistent practice, and lack of onsite technical support. Educators lacked skills in some simulation and debriefing techniques, and basic education and research skills were limited, while technicians raised concerns regarding the maintenance of equipment and managing budgets.

Discussion and conclusion

Despite its effectiveness as an education tool, barriers remain at the introduction and maintenance stages of simulated learning environments. Efforts to improve the integrity and sustainability of simulation training should be informed by a comprehensive needs analysis. The resulting data should be used to address barriers in a way that maximises the limited resources and funding available for this important learning tool.