Top 50 Healthcare Simulation Articles of 2021

Each year, HealthySimulation.com publishes hundreds of clinical simulation articles designed to help spread industry awareness, share insights, and promote medical simulation learning. During the year 2021, many of these articles also focused on how COVID-19 has impacted the healthcare simulation community and specifically clinical simulation center operations. Below is a list of the top 50 healthcare simulation articles of 2021, but first are the top 10 clinical simulation webinars and top three courses from HealthySImulation.com’s LEARN platform. We look forward to publishing more exciting healthcare simulation-based content during 2022. If you have a healthcare simulation article idea, you can submit your work here.

Top 10 Healthcare Simulation Webinars

1. Increasing Clinical Realism with Wearable Chest Tube & Wound Care Hybrid Simulators: Presented by Adam Cowperthwait and Megan Weldon, this webinar demonstrates hybrid wearable clinical simulators from Avkin, including the Avwound for wound care training and Avthor, for realistic chest tube training.
2. Pharmacy Simulation Behind the Curtain: Operations and Safety Considerations: Presented by Chelsea Renfro, PharmD, CHSE, This webinar explores how pharmacy simulation is used in pharmacy education from technical operations and safety standpoint.
3. Fostering Interprofessional Skills Through Virtual Healthcare Simulation: Presented by Emily Frank OTD, OTR, CHSE, this CE webinar provides a deep dive into the world of interprofessional virtual simulation including development best practice and the application of the IPEC Core Competencies.
4. Injecting Realism: A Closer Look at Demo Dose Simulated Medications: Presented by Beth Telesz MSN, RN, Wendeline Grbach, MSN, RN, CLNC, and Fabien Pampaloni RN, MSN, this webinar presentation will introduce new and innovative simulated medication solutions that are designed for healthcare educators by healthcare educators.
5. Pilot Study: Standardizing Simulation Operations Specialist Training with Frameworks: Presented by Erica Hinojosa, MSHS, CHSOS-A, this webinar highlights a new pilot study standardizing sim tech training using a proven framework model.
6. Why Nursing Educators Will Continue Using Virtual Simulation After the Pandemic: Presented by Dr. Laura Gonzalez, PhD, APRN, CNE, CHSE-A, ANEF, FAAN, this webinar focuses on emerging ideas on the use of virtual simulations to enhance nursing curricula and learning outcomes.
7. Nursing Educator’s Take on Leveraging Mixed Reality in Healthcare Simulation: Presented by Emma Collins MN, RN, BEd, PHCert Higher Ed, SFHEA, this webinar shares how healthcare educators can better prepare students for clinical placements using holographic patients.
8. Virtual Debriefing in the Age of COVID-19: Presented by Adam Cheng, MD, FRCPC, this CE webinar discusses how the Communities of Inquiry conceptual framework can be used as a useful structure to organize practical guidance for conducting virtual debriefings, and highlight practical strategies to promote effective virtual debriefings.
9. Virtual Simulation @ USAHS: Using Innovative Approaches to Create IPE Events: Presented by Elisabeth Mcgee, Ph.D., DPT, MOT, CHSE, these webinars help participants learn about the Center for Innovative Clinical Practice (CICP) and how they are delivering their interprofessional virtual simulation program.
10. Saving Lives Systematically: Medical Simulation as a Patient Safety Tool in Healthcare: Presented by Paul Phrampus, MD, FSSH FACEP CPPS, this CE webinar shows how reviewing the goals of simulation, conducting near real-time needs analysis, and the establishment of meaningful ongoing relationships with healthcare system leaders is necessary for achieving highly effective goals as related to simulation as a patient safety tool.

Top 3 Healthcare Simulation Courses

1. Dr. Debra Nestel’s 4 CE Course: Intro to Healthcare Simulation: Led by Deb Tauber MSN, RN, CHSE, CEN, this course is designed for any healthcare professional, this instant access online 4 Contact Hour CE course provides the necessary fundamental concepts in educating and training with clinical simulation. All materials previously recorded.
2. Clinical Simulation 101: The Basics: Led by Deb Tauber MSN, RN, CHSE, CEN, this course provides a basic introduction to clinical simulation.
3. Using Healthcare Simulation to Improve Medication Administration Safety: Led by Dr. Kim Baily, Ph.D., MSN, RN, this course provides healthcare simulation tools and resources to enhance medication administration safety.

Top Healthcare Simulation Articles of 2021

50. MetaHumans Leads Digital Human Creation Through Cloud-Streamed App: MetaHuman Creator is a cloud-streamed app that takes real-time digital human creation from weeks or even months to less than an hour—at an unprecedented standard of quality, fidelity and realism. Developed by Epic Games, creator of Unreal Engine, MetaHumans are able to be created in minutes. The technology enables users to directly manipulate facial features, adjust skin complexion, and select from preset body types, hairstyles, clothing, and more.

49. RespiSim Helps Shape Future of Respiratory, Ventilation Simulation Training: Respiratory and ventilation training are integral components of medical education. To provide a next-generation solution for respiratory and ventilation training, clinical simulation company IngMar Medical recently launched the RespiPro. Using this healthcare simulation resource, educators are able to train all levels of learners across multiple disciplines on the full scope of respiratory techniques using their own real ventilators and respiratory devices. This article will discuss the benefits of the RespiSim and how the solution will help shape the future of respiratory and ventilation training.

48. UpSurgeOn Academy Revolutionizes Neuroanatomy & Neurosurgery Learning: To help lead the way in changing from educating surgeons on cadavers, the UpSurgeOn project strives to empower the learning and teaching methods of neuroanatomy and neurosurgery through high-tech cognitive, virtual, and physical technologies. To reach a universal framework for all surgeries, the project envisions a new generation of highly-trained surgeons who are certified through clinical simulation-based technologies. As part of this scientific, cultural, and humanitarian revolution, UpSurgeOn intends on educating future surgeons using cadaver-free training.

47. Immersive VR Technology Used to Enhance Medical Realism: In an effort to boost engagement and build empathy, the University of Adelaide is installing immersive technology into the school’s cutting-edge medical simulation facilities. Using the Igloo Vision Immersion Room, learners will be able to participate in realistic medical scenarios. This is made possible because the clinical simulation technology is equipped with 360° projection and surround sound.

46. Latest Clinical Simulation News From Around the World | February 2021: Helping healthcare simulation educators, administrators, and learners to stay up to date on industry topics, HealthySimulation.com finds and shares relevant news and information from around the world. This news includes medical simulation innovations, products, vendors, research, and more. Check out some of the world’s latest clinical simulation news by exploring the following updates.

45. MedReality Releases 3D Covid-19 Lung Model to Download: MedReality has announced the world’s first public release of a 3D model of lungs severely damaged by COVID-19. The model was created from an actual patient with severe COVID-19 Illness from their CT scan on day nine of infection. The patient which the model is based on was placed on a ventilator soon after the CT scan was taken, and remained on the ventilator for twelve days, ultimately surviving the infection. Using this scenario as insight into the aftermath of COVID-19 infection, this solution is designed to advance the understanding of COVID-19 for physician communication, patient awareness, education, training, and research purposes.

44. Personal Experience Inspires Development of Neonatal Patient Simulator, NENASim: Medical-X, a company that specializes in the design, development, manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of health care simulation products for teaching and training, recognizes the importance of high-fidelity simulation. To help offer an innovative solution to improve patient safety among infants, the company developed a realistic interactive simulator to be used for various training scenarios: the NENASim. While this health care simulation manikin offers ideal training solutions for a wide range of health care professionals, NENASim is ultimately the result of a personal experience Medical-X CEO Dervis Demirtas had with his then-5-month-old son. Today, he reveals the details of the scenario that motivated him to create this clinical simulation resource.

43. Clinical Simulation Programs: A Breakdown of Leadership Titles, Positions & Roles: Running a healthcare simulation program is a complex endeavor that requires an array of knowledge, skills, and abilities. While some medical simulation programs rely on random opportunities to fill open slots, the most successful medical simulation programs are intentional in their team-building (Palaganas, Maxworthy, Epps & Mancini, 2015). Regardless of the size of the sim lab team and how the program was built, someone needs to be “in charge.” The people responsible for overseeing a healthcare simulation program operate under a variety of titles that may or may not accurately convey the scope of their role or the necessary qualifications. This article will discuss the role of a healthcare simulation director, and explain how this role may vary from facility to facility.

42. Clinical Simulation Assessment: Time & Performance Measures to Design Scenarios: Today, many medical facilities and institutions employ an educational or training program that incorporates some form of healthcare simulation to achieve learning outcomes. Further, the notion of a standardized methodology for incorporating difficulty into a healthcare simulation scenario often appeals to the desire for reliability, or validity, or possibly both. To enhance these outcomes and increase reliability and validity, there is now a student simulation assessment tool available to help professionals design difficulty into their clinical simulation scenarios, as well as gauge student performance. In this HealthySimulation.com article, guest author Lorenzo Saenz RN, simulation coordinator at Western New Mexico University School of Nursing and Kinesiology, highlights the importance of clinical simulation assessment and explains how time and performance measures can be used to design scenarios. Lorenzo writes…

41. Gurnick Nursing Simulation Center Grand Opening | May 25, 2021: In development since 2019, the Gurnick Nursing Simulation Center is approaching its grand opening, celebrated in partnership with Education Management Solutions and Gaumard Scientific. The grand opening event is set to take place on Tuesday, May 25 at 2 p.m. EST. This virtual presentation will help highlight the use of EMS clinical simulation solutions throughout the simulation center to enhance the education of clinical learners. In addition, the event will showcase how SIMULATIONiQ can be implemented across multicampus institutions.

40. Code Silver: Healthcare Simulation Training Exercise For Mass-Shooting Incidents: Healthcare simulation education encompasses many types of patient safety preparedness training. Included in this training, medical facilities in many provinces or states in North America, such as hospitals, are now teaching their employees how to respond to a person with a weapon such as an active shooter. Referred to as “Code Silver,” this hospital response was explained in the Advances in a Simulation research article titled “The Code Silver Exercise: a low-cost simulation alternative to preparing hospitals for an active shooter event.”

39. MD Shares Views on Strongest Digital Patients Available from the Healthcare Simulation Market | 2021 Edition: COVID-19 distancing measures pushed the digital and virtual patient experience into the spotlight as a preferred teaching platform over the past year, which will have a positive lasting impact on the medical simulation industry. Navigating the various offerings without a hands-on event such as the International Meeting for Simulation in Healthcare (IMSH) prompts a platform seeker to pore over the wide range of publicly available information. The choice of the product really depends on the specific needs of learners and the institution’s desired targets of didactic focus. As such, HealthySimulation.com reader Andrew Bazakis, MD, FACEP, FAAEM, an emergency medicine physician in Saginaw, Michigan, and the co-director of the Emergency Medicine Simulation curriculum at Central Michigan University, shared this article after reviewing some of the available tools based on publicly available information. Bazakis’ article includes a look at PCS Spark, Oxford Medical Simulation, CAE Maestro, and presents a shortlist of top picks denoted by areas of strength.

38. Immersive Virtual Clinical Simulations Transform Nursing Education: The push to find new ways to facilitate virtual nursing education programs following COVID-19 has led to an increased demand for practical virtual healthcare simulation solutions. Despite learning taking place in a virtual environment, nursing educators must continue to find practical ways to prepare learners with the knowledge and skills necessary for real-world nursing application. Further, hospitals and healthcare providers need ways to help new nurses transition to practice as well. Helping to achieve this outcome, Sentinel U offers a number of virtual simulations and clinical for nursing education programs and healthcare organizations.

37. Simulation en santé en France en 2021: Quels sont les acteurs en présence?: La simulation en santé en France à connu un essor important à partir de décembre 2012 suite à la publication par le Pr Granry, à la demande de la Haute autorité de Santé (HAS), d’un “Guide de bonnes pratiques en matière de simulation en santé.” Le développement de la simulation s’est ensuite fait de manière progressive par la mise en place de nombreux programmes de simulation majoritairement publics et hospitalo-universitaires autour de l’adage “jamais la première fois sur le patient”. Actuellement il existe environ une centaine de centres de simulation dans le pays qui déclarent pratiquer la simulation en accord avec les recommandations de 2012. Ils sont dirigés par des membres actifs de la communauté de simulation en santé provenant de disciplines variées comme les soins infirmiers, la médecine, la chirurgie ou les plateformes de formation pluridisciplinaire privées.

36. Event 201: Pre-Pandemic Healthcare Simulation Exercise Predicted Some COVID-19 Outcomes: Even before the first cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed, the medical and scientific communities understood the importance of pandemic preparedness. With funding support from the Open Philanthropy Project, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security developed in October of 2019 what is now known as “Event 201.” This project involved the creation of a 3.5-hour pandemic tabletop exercise that simulated a series of clinical simulation scenario discussions relating to the response to a hypothetical, but scientifically plausible, pandemic. Ultimately, the October 2019 healthcare simulation scenario vividly demonstrated a number of these important gaps in pandemic preparedness just as COVID-19 was about to explode.

35. Healthcare Simulation’s Refurbished Simulator Market Takes Off: Being able to distribute healthcare simulation products that have been previously returned to a manufacturer or vendor for various reasons is an important way to reallocate resources and avoid waste. As clinical simulation becomes increasingly in demand, and not all facilities and institutions can afford patient simulators, the refurbished simulator market presents numerous opportunities. There are a number of healthcare simulation community resources that can help to connect educators and simulationists with refurbished simulators to help boost their respective programs. This article shares information about these resources, and where refurbished simulators can be found.

34. TruCorp Advanced Airway Trainers Enhance EMS Education: TruCorp is a medical simulation task trainer company that specializes in anatomically correct airway management simulators, clinical skills task trainers and surgical simulation trainers. To help advance realistic airway management and emergency procedure training, the company’s intubation heads and innovative AirSim product lines are designed based on CT data scanned from actual human patients. From the silicone skin covering to the articulation of the neck and jaw, the advanced airway trainers have a lifelike feel and responsiveness, making every training session more true to life. Here we take a close look at the complete range of AirSim X trainers available from TruCorp.

33. Latest Medical Simulation Technologies Launched for IMSH 2021: The 2021 IMSH Virtual Conference started in full swing on Tuesday, January 19, with live healthcare simulation presentations, prerecorded educational sessions, research abstracts and technical proceedings. In addition, the industry hall opened with clinical simulation 43 vendors. As the IMSH virtual conference runs through March, participants can look forward to seeing exciting presentations and the release of exciting medical simulation innovations in the weeks to come. Below are details from IMSH 2021’s various healthcare simulation product launches, featuring the latest in clinical simulation technology innovations!

32. Axon Park Expands VR Course Offerings to Meet Virtual Learning Demand: As more medical training facilities turn to healthcare simulation as a virtual means of instruction amid COVID-19, virtual reality and e-learning solutions have been met with demand like never before. To help meet this need, virtual simulation company Axon Park has significantly expanded their VR course catalog, from one to over 20 categories, making it the most diverse set of VR training materials offered in the healthcare space. Using VR, learners can “teleport” into the digital campus where they can then explore different categories of courses to learn varying subjects and skills, streamlining access to a wide range of premier interactive VR learning content.

31. XR Management Systems Help Scale AR and VR Simulation Deployment: The use of extended reality (XR), which encompasses augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR), can greatly benefit learners through healthcare simulation exercises. As more facilities and institutions begin employing training utilizing XR, an increasing number of AR and VR devices are being developed and released. However, managing these devices can be difficult. To help combat this challenge, companies ArborXR and ManageXR are offering XR device management solutions. These companies are helping to revolutionize clinical simulation training through advanced computer software capabilities.

30. Walk Through Healthcare Simulation Centers with These Virtual Tours: Healthcare Simulation centers are being developed across the globe, with many different layouts and designs. To provide a glimpse into these clinical education spaces, a number of healthcare simulation centers have had virtual tours created. Exploring how clinical simulation centers are laid out can provide a source of inspiration while helping to identify center uses that are optimal for medical education and patient safety. This article provides HealthySimulation.com readers with a look inside several prominent simulation centers, sharing background on these spaces and elements that make them unique.

29. Avkin’s Vital Signs Package Helps Clinical Simulations Maintain Realism: Patients don’t announce they are vital signs to their healthcare providers. Nor does an ominous voice from on high. However, many healthcare simulations, including competency-based human simulations, do just that. This break in realism can distract both learners and Simulated Participants from the goal of the clinical simulation, harming learning objectives. Some programs have opted to simply use real devices, and use the Simulated Participant’s actual vital signs in the simulation to combat this break from realism. This may work until a cardiac arrest simulation reports a patient blood pressure of 120/80.

28. A Guide to Determining Healthcare Simulation Tool Validity: Healthcare Simulation may include the use of clinical simulation-based assessments in which some measurement instrument or tool is used to determine a learner’s performance or knowledge. The accuracy of these instruments depends on the reliability and validity of the tool. During the 2021 IMSH conference, Scerbo, M., Lineberry, M., Sebok-Syer, S., & Calhoun, A. presented a session entitled “Best Practices in Validity: A Primer for Simulation-Based Assessment.” The presenters emphasized the importance of using critical thinking when considering validity. They created a practical primer based on current theory and best practices for determining the validity of clinical simulation-based assessments.

27. Drexel University Offers Impressive Online MS Healthcare Simulation Degree Program: To meet the educational needs of healthcare professionals and simulation technicians seeking to become leaders in the field of simulated education, Drexel University has established an online master’s degree in healthcare simulation program. The online healthcare simulation degree program couples education in patient safety with simulation learning concepts to ensure that learners have the experience to thrive in both clinical and academic environments. This is achieved through practicing procedures, care processes, and critical conversations. Here we take a closer look at this very rare degree program empowering those in medical simulation.

26. Systems-Focused Simulation, Debriefing Online Course from Simulation Canada: Healthcare simulation organizations Simulation Canada and Healthcare Systems Simulation International are offering a six-week virtual interactive course on how to harness systems-focused simulation and debriefing to improve patient safety, operational efficiencies, and care quality. This course is evidence-informed, includes easy-to-use tools and cognitive aids, and provides a clear road map to success. Simulation Canada’s international and interprofessional team members are using this course as another opportunity to lead clinicians, educators, researchers, mentors, and innovators in clinical simulation for systems integration with a proven track record of success.

25. GIGXR Helps Nursing Programs Teach Clinical Reasoning, Meet Clinical Simulation Requirements: Helping future nursing professionals master vital skills of observation, diagnosis and treatment has never been more important. Specifically, as clinical placements become more competitive and the overall nursing sector becomes ever more complex and demanding, mixed reality is becoming a critical component of nursing simulation. GIGXR, a global immersive learning provider, created the HoloPatient app to meet this need.

24. INACSL Standards of Best Practice: Prebriefing | Preparation & Briefing: Prebriefing is an essential part of healthcare simulation and may enhance debriefing and reflection by providing learners with the information and knowledge they need to be fully prepared for clinical simulation education. Further, healthcare simulation prebriefing helps to establish the ground rules for each healthcare simulation-based experience. To help provide a standard for prebriefing best practices, the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) released the “Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice Prebriefing: Preparation and Briefing.” This article discusses the organization’s standards of best practice as they relate to prebriefing and preparation.

23. AWEXR Showcased the Latest Mixed Reality Technologies for Healthcare Education & Training: This past week in Santa Clara California the annual AWEXR took place bringing together academic researchers, industry executives, and institutional leadership. As the demand for remote and digital technologies has skyrocketed since COVID19 (please share your experiences in our “Impacts of COVID19 on Healthcare Simulation” survey to share experiences), HealthySimulation.com attended the AWEXR event to witness the latest XR mixed reality technologies and share innovative best practices. Here we cover the healthcare track organized by Bob Fine of the IVRHA and VR in Healthcare Conferences and as well share more about the Virtual Reality VR, Augmented Reality AR, or Mixed Reality XR training companies and tools which hold promise for the clinical simulation space.

22. NLN Leadership Development for Simulation Educators: The National League for Nursing developed a nursing simulation leadership program designed for the experienced simulation nurse educator who wishes to assume a leadership role in simulation. Participants focus on maximizing their leadership potential to advance simulation initiatives in nursing education and practice. With a focus on leadership, the program emphasizes leadership development to advance simulation initiatives in nursing education and practice.

21. TacMed Solutions Acquires TraumaFX & Announces New Trauma Simulator Rental Program: Major emergency trauma simulation industry news today with the announcement that TacMed Solutions, aka TacMed, has recently acquired the US-based TraumaFX Solutions and also launched an impressive trauma simulator rental program. First responders, military personnel, and other emergency response teams greatly benefit from simulated training. To help meet these growing training demands, TacMed Solutions provides military, police, EMS, and other emergency services the ability to complete hands-on clinical training exercises using human and K9 simulators rugged enough to represent real-world trauma environments. Here we learn more about their new trauma simulator rental program and the company’s expanded portfolio following its acquisition of Trauma FX Solutions.

20. Collaborative Sim Scenario Design Made Easy with Cloud-Based iRIS Platform: What if clinical educators could collaboratively design simulation scenarios over the web that can be easily aligned to standards of best practice and exported to almost any simulator platform? Enter iRIS Health Solutions, a United Kingdom-based software company that provides an innovative and engaging web-based health care simulation scenario authoring platform to organizations worldwide. The technology helps clinical simulation educators to easily design, develop and manage high-quality training sim scenarios in collaboration with peers and subject matter experts by using a step-by-step wizard. Best of all, the solution allows users to export scenarios straight to manikins and other technologies from most leading simulation vendors. This includes Laerdal, CAE, UbiSim, and now iSimulate. This article takes a closer look at iRIS, which has the full support of global simulation expert Dr. Kim Leighton.

19. Mixed Debriefing Study Shows Benefits Over Group Debriefing for Clinical Simulation: In their recent HealthySimulation.com LEARN platform webinar entitled “Exploring Self Debriefing and Group Debriefing in Clinical Simulation” by Merveille Ndondo, BScN, RN, MN and Raquel Lashley-Trambulo, BScN, RN of Ryerson University, the team shared about their team’s powerful research which showed that a self-debriefing event just after the Simulation-based Training (SBT) but just prior to a group debriefing leads to “some benefits” to learners. Here we look closer at the lessons they shared about the study and the powerful results of mixed debriefing modalities, as well as highlights from their studies published in INACSL‘s Clinical Simulation in Nursing journal.

18. U.S. DoD JETS Project Connects Multiple Commercial Clinical Simulation Systems Under One Dashboard: For years the United States military has been utilizing clinical simulation to help educate and train service members and contractors. Specifically, as medical simulation has continued to evolve, the use of this training methodology has enabled these professionals to become better prepared in the event of a healthcare emergency. This HealthySimulation.com article shares how the United States Department of Defense is employing a particular project to connect multiple commercial clinical simulation systems under one dashboard. Through the use of this program, many digital training opportunities have come to fruition.

17. Echo Healthcare Announces Partnership Agreement with CrossBraining Video Training Tool: On June 1, 2021, Echo Healthcare Inc. announced that the company has signed an agreement with CrossBraining Inc, paving the way for an advanced breakthrough in both education and simulation. CrossBraining is a mobile web application that improves skill retention and drives deeper learning. This partnership aligns with Echo Healthcare’s mission to redefine service and innovation by improving patient outcomes through training, education and technology. After being founded by a group of passionate simulation experts who bring over 40 years of experience into the marketplace, the healthcare simulation company continues to take strides ever-improved patient safety across the industry.

16. I/ITSEC 2021 Showcases U.S. Defense Investments Into Simulated Training: The 2021 Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation, and Education Conference (I/ITSEC) opened with the Congressional Modeling and Simulation Caucus signature event, which included Congressman Bobby Scott, Stephanie Murphy, and Jack Bergman. I/ITSEC, which is organized by the National Training & Simulation Association (NTSA), is seen by the global simulation community as one of the leading military simulation events which have continued to expand its support of medical simulation over the past decade. HealthySimulation.com was on hand to capture discord around healthcare simulation as well as to witness the latest in clinical simulation technologies.

15. 5 Features that Make ALEX the Smartest Simulator Out There: When companies market healthcare simulators, they use descriptors like “high fidelity” and “advanced,” but there’s only one company that can confidently call their manikin “smart.” The next generation of simulators has, over the last four years, been quietly and steadily gaining momentum and widespread use. From high school health programs to medical and nursing simulation centers, this untethered, stand-alone simulator is everywhere. Simply unpack, and you’re ready to train – anytime, anywhere! So, what makes ALEX so smart, and why is ALEX’s popularity increasing exponentially in a post-COVID-19 world?

14. Virtual Reality Platform UbiSim Helps Labouré Nursing College Overcome COVID-19 Restrictions: UbiSim, an immersive VR healthcare simulation training platform for nursing, partners with institutions worldwide to advance the shared mission of improving patient care and safety. As the coronavirus pandemic has forced a shift from standard clinical training to virtual and remote learning alternatives, UbiSim technology has provided learners with access to a complete virtual training center with realistic environments, patients, and medical equipment. Here we take a look at Labouré College, an institution that chose to implement the UbiSim VR nursing educational platform to overcome COVID-19 restrictions.

13. Lifecast Manikins Encourage Learner Engagement Through Realism: While clinical simulation is not real, healthcare educators need learners to treat each simulated learning activity as if the scenario is real, to maximize the educational benefits of simulation-based learning (SBL). The clinical simulation team at Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) in Dallas, Texas, chose to upgrade their skills lab with Lifecast manikins in 2020 and to great effect. The goal was that the manikins’ more lifelike features would impact healthcare simulation learning, and the impact was immediate. Learners and faculty responded favorably to the individuality of the medical simulation manikins; no longer were the eight patients identified in their lifeless, plastic-like appearance. Instead, a diverse patient population is now presented with features such as freckles, facial hair, acne, tattoos, and body piercings that speak to the uniqueness of each patient and elicit a more genuine interaction between the learner and patient. This article will look at how Baylor University’s LHSON considered the reasons behind creating realistic medical simulation activities and the benefits they found from doing so.

12. Resuscitation Training System Serves as Adaptive Learning Tool to Save Lives: Ensuring that healthcare professionals are trained in CPR can help to save hundreds of thousands of lives each year. Earning an American Red Cross CPR certification helps these professionals validate that they have the life-saving skills necessary to help resuscitate patients. For this reason, the HCA Healthcare Center for Clinical Advancement rolled out an innovative mobile and adaptive resuscitation certification process to help keep all caregivers up-to-date on CPR. In collaboration with HealthStream and the American Red Cross, HCA Healthcare’s suite now gives caregivers the option to recertify at their location, at a time that is convenient for them.

11. How AR Technology Represents the Future of Healthcare Simulation Training: The use of augmented reality simulation is increasing across clinical simulation learning environments as the technology provides unique opportunities for immersive reality. Medical simulation company MedCognition is currently using AR in simulation and devices to reshape the future of healthcare training by making the experience look and sound more human. MedCognition developed a holographic patient simulation called PerSim, which is short for “person simulation.” The company’s goal is to provide AR technology training that is ultra-portable, clinically intuitive, and easy to use. The mission is to help frontline clinicians save more lives.

10. What is the Role of Simulation in Healthcare Education?: The role of simulation in healthcare education is to transition an academic learner to a practicing clinician. However, this is a complex process of development, so the best way to understand this transition is to consider the stages a clinical learner goes through to become a competent healthcare provider. Learners cannot possibly grasp all aspects of their training at once and as such, the healthcare simulation events they experience should be designed with the learners’ exact stage in mind. While Simulation-Based Learning (SBL) should be challenging, the requirements of the experience should certainly be within reach of the learner. With a strong grasp of learner formation, the healthcare simulation instructor can properly apply the different types of clinical simulation in relevant ways at each stage.

9. What is Fidelity in Simulation?: As fidelity is an important concept in healthcare education, those new to the field often ask, “What is fidelity in simulation?” While fidelity in healthcare simulation can be defined as the degree of exactness with which a manikin or simulator represents a live patient or scenario, levels of fidelity vary depending on usage. Learners must come to understand the various elements of clinical simulation fidelity, being able to explain why each is important. Learners should also consider how they might use fidelity in simulation to move their medical simulation program forward, increasing both realism and patient safety outcomes.

8. Clinical Simulation Research: The Role of the Presimulation Briefing: The healthcare simulation experience is comprised of several learning components, including both prebriefing and debriefing. Specifically, prebriefing is used to establish best practices and support a learner in their path to success — even before the medical simulation scenario has begun. Although the importance of thoughtful prebriefing has been recognized for years, research published in the Simulation in Healthcare: Journal of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare shares that elements and predicted effectiveness have not yet been blended into a set of promising practices. Seeking to formalize such practices into writing, this HealthySimulation.com article shares insight into the research, “Establishing a Safe Container for Learning in Simulation: The Role of the Presimulation Briefing.”

7. QSEN Competencies Push for Improved Nursing Learner Outcomes: The Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) project was designed to address the challenge of preparing future nurses with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) necessary to continuously improve the quality and safety of the healthcare systems within which they work. In helping to serve the community of nursing learners, professionals, and educators, QSEN has compiled a number of helpful initiatives, such as scenario guidance, course competencies, evaluation tools, and more. Before finalizing a nursing simulation curriculum, or designing a new simulation in nursing program, educators should review the following QSEN resources.

6. How Much Does a Human Patient Simulator Cost?: ​​A human patient simulator typically ranges in price from $10,000 to $100,000 depending on the type, brand, features, and included support services. Since dollars spent in the healthcare industry have a direct impact on patient lives, the clinical simulationist must carefully consider which manikin is best suited for their desired patient safety outcomes. To better understand these projected costs one must first grasp the various categories and relative price points of different medical simulation manikins. Depending on the desired outcome, task trainers, scenario manikins, or full-fidelity human patient simulators may meet objectives in various ways. Here, Nurse Practitioner and Healthcare Simulation Educator Nathan Costiuc, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, starts to answer the question “How much does a human patient simulator cost”?

5. New CAE Pediatric Simulator ‘Aria’ Helps Learners Develop Patient-Care Skills: Pediatric emergency training and education are critical to the healthcare outcomes of an acutely ill child. To help prepare learners to care for pediatric patients, CAE Healthcare developed Aria, the company’s new high-fidelity pediatric simulator. A wireless and tetherless patient simulator, CAE Aria provides procedural knowledge and helps current and future healthcare professionals develop pediatric assessment and clinical skills through practice. Aria is designed to help learners refresh their reflexes and respond more quickly to respiratory distress in children, addressing an emerging trend within pediatric care: climbing rates of hospital readmissions involving respiratory illnesses.

4. PYXIS’ Medstation ES Promotes Medication Safety Through Automated Dispensing: Medical Shipment is a premium supplier of simulation nursing supplies and equipment, including the BD PYXIS Medstation ES. This solution provides an automated dispensing cabinet for enterprise medication management. The resource helps clinicians safely and efficiently dispense the right medications for the right patients at the right time. Medical Shipment is the only authorized distributor that BD has partnered with to sell the Pyxis MedStation products for educational purposes.

3. Covid 2.0: Is Your Clinical Simulation Program Ready?: The transition to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic forced a reimagining of many clinical simulation programs. Just when the worst was seemingly behind, the COVID-19 delta variant emerged. This variant has proven more contagious than other variants and is wreaking havoc on the younger generation, in contrast to the alpha variant, which heavily affected the older generation. Most clinical simulation programs were not ready for initial shutdowns and were converted to virtual learning in early 2020. Some shut down altogether with no alternatives to teaching healthcare simulation — virtual or otherwise. Is your clinical simulation program ready for a possible round two of shutdowns, social distancing, and quarantines?

2. Virtual Simulation Technology: Supercharge an Online or Hybrid OSCE Curriculum: The need to rapidly adapt traditional healthcare simulation-based training curricula into distance learning modalities through virtual simulation technology has never been greater. Mandated shutdowns and campus closures driven by COVID-19 have left higher education institutions struggling to pivot their clinical simulation programs between in-person and remote-learning environments. For these medical simulation education programs, this means taking healthcare simulation online.

1. Why Healthcare Simulation is About to Become One of the World’s Most Important Industries: Healthcare simulation is about to change the world. While societies are just beginning to turn a corner on COVID-19, the devastation caused by the most recent pandemic will continue to affect us for years to come. With over 142 million cases and 3 million deaths, the estimated covid costs of $28 trillion dollars will no doubt force governments, corporations, militaries, healthcare institutions and the general public to carefully reassess their pandemic readiness. In their 2021 annual letter, Bill and Melinda Gates share several innovative strategies for overcoming future pandemics, including the creation of a specialized group of about 3,000 “Infectious Disease Responders” who will be ready at a moment’s notice to travel and contain outbreaks around the world. How will top scientists, healthcare teams, biohazard specialists, security personnel, and logistics operators plan and train for one of the world’s most important and most dangerous jobs? Through the emerging industry that is primed for a transition to mass adoption: medical simulation.

More About HealthySimulation.com

HealthySimulation.com is the world’s premier Healthcare Simulation resource website, providing the latest news, conference coverage, research highlights, helpful guides, job listings, product demos, vendor contacts, community sharing, and more! Started in 2010 by Lance Baily, the resource has provided well over 1,000,000 page views of medical simulation-specific content through thousands of daily articles to hundreds of thousands of healthcare professionals from around the globe. The HealthySim writing team has shared their passion for simulation in healthcare by writing an article every workday, Monday through Friday for almost ten years.

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About the Author: Lance Baily

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Lance Baily, BA, EMT-B, is the Founder & CEO of HealthySimulation.com, which he started while serving as the Director of the Nevada System of Higher Education’s Clinical Simulation Center of Las Vegas back in 2010. Lance is also the Founder and acting Advisor to the Board of SimGHOSTS.org, the world’s only non-profit organization dedicated to supporting professionals operating healthcare simulation technologies. His co-edited Book: “Comprehensive Healthcare Simulation: Operations, Technology, and Innovative Practice” is cited as a key source for professional certification in the industry. Lance’s background also includes serving as a Simulation Technology Specialist for the LA Community College District, EMS fire fighting, Hollywood movie production, rescue diving, and global travel. He and his wife Abigail Baily, PhD live in Las Vegas, Nevada with their two amazing daughters.