SimGHOSTS 2022 Healthcare Simulation Conference Coverage

Each year, the Gathering Of Healthcare Simulation Technology Specialists (SimGHOSTS) hosts a healthcare simulation conference to bring the spectrum of simulation professionals together to improve learner and patient outcomes. This year’s event, themed “Embracing Connection: Creativity and Community in a Changing World,” highlights the use of technology and virtual environments in simulation programs. This year’s in-person event was hosted by Baylor University’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing and was also designed to elevate healthcare simulation delivery with hands-on workshops, demonstrations, and oral presentations delivered by the SimGHOSTS community. This HealthySimulation.com article provides SimGHOSTS 2022 coverage from HealthySimulation.com Founder and CEO Lance Baily.

Prior to the beginning of the conference, SimGHOSTS relayed that this year’s meeting objectives included meeting with other simulation champions and sharing best practices and networking, and building long-term industry relationships with peers and vendors. The organization also encouraged the discussion and development of professional community needs and standards.

“Every member of the healthcare team is vital to delivering optimal patient care, just as you are critical to creating a consistently positive training environment. We want to be your advocate in the industry and make sure you are empowered to use your knowledge to deliver cost-effective, user-friendly educational environments that facilitate learning,” wrote SimGHOSTS President Ferooz Sekandarpoor, MSc IT in the conference program.

With these objectives in mind, the SimGHOSTS 22 program included conversations and workshops related to the topics of high-fidelity manikin hardware and software operation, maintenance, and repair. The program also focused on audiovisual system design and integration, operation, and troubleshooting. Other conference topics included:

• 3D Printing, casting and molding, fabrication, and prototyping.
• Career development and staff management
• Medical terminology, physiology, pharmacology
• Beginner to advanced moulage creation and application
• International healthcare simulation education practices
• Virtual environments and serious games

Opening Keynote Address by Former NASA Flight Director Ginger Kerrick’

On Wednesday morning after a hilarious opening sketch by SimGHOSTS leadership, Operations Director Jacqueline introduced former NASA Flight Director Ginger Kerrick who presented her keynote “Accelerating Innovation to New Heights Stories from a former NASA Flight Director”. Ginger shared with the audience personal stories from her time working at NASA in Russia as a liaison for US astronauts and their training as a team with their Russian counterparts. Ginger Kerrick is currently the Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for Barrios Technology in Houston, Texas. Prior to joining the Barrios executive team, Ginger served in multiple senior leadership roles at NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) before retiring in 2021. Most recently, she served as the Deputy Director of the Exploration Integration and Science Directorate and JSC Assistant Center Director for Vision and Strategy. She spent the majority of her 30-year NASA career supporting JSC’s Flight Operations Directorate (FOD) in leadership roles, including Assistant Director for International Space Station (ISS), Flight Integration Division Chief, and Flight Director (the first female Hispanic Flight Director).

Reflecting on the Columbia disaster, Ginger and her team reflected on the need to work through difficult challenges through collaboration. She then shared about the challenges involved with deploying solar panels from the space shuttle to the International Space Station after the Columbia disaster. The panels were delayed in their launch to space due to the two year delay in space flight operations, with critical need by Ginger’s team to repair the problem. Just as before, Ginger’s team came together to share ideas in a collaborative fashion which resulted in successful repairs.

Ginger then explained about the upcoming Artemis I mission scheduled for the end of August, which is a simulation flight to test systems prior to human travel back to the moon planned for 2025. Sharing about the neutral balance facility, which is a giant simulated moon site underwater in a giant pool to provide practical hands on experience of motion in space. Beyond the pool, NASA is training with virtual reality for the environments they will find themselves in during Artemis I. She encouraged everyone at SimGHOSTS to think of ways they could bring such innovations to NASA.

Other Sessions From SimGHOSTS 2022 Day 1

• 24/7 Simulation: Breaking down barriers to experiential learning
• UTSW High Reliability Team – Setting our Team’s up for Success
• Making the Connection – Managing AV signals for the Non IT/AV Simulation Operations Specialist
• Collaborative Organization 101: Creating a Comprehensive ‘SimPlanner’
• Mobile Simulation: Simulation Operations Specialist Go Bag
• Homegrown Task Trainers to Enhance Deliberate Skills Practice
• Clinical Simulation Integration for Public Health
• The Power of Data: Operations Edition
• Using Open Source and a Retired Computer to Create Your Own Disk Image Backup System
• Leveling Up The Trauma Moulage – In-Conference Workshop
• Embracing Connections in Mentoring – A Panel Discussion
• Beyond “lub-dub” – Understanding Advanced EKG and Cardiac Rhythms for Clinical Practice
• Credentialing: 10+ years in Healthcare Sim–and Counting!
• The Good, The Bad, The Ugly of Scheduling in Simulation
• Understanding Your Novice Simulation Technician: A Competency- Based Orientation
• It’s Alive! – Improving Physiologic Reactions to Pharmacology Treatments

As well, HealthySimulation.com Founder/CEO Lance Baily provided his highly praised session on “How to Encourage Administrators to Hire a Sim Tech“.

More About SimGHOSTS

SimGHOSTS, also known as The Gathering Of Healthcare Simulation Technology Specialists, is an international United States-based non-profit organization. The organization is dedicated to supporting individuals and institutions operating medical simulation technology and spaces through hands-on training events, online resources, and professional development.

By offering support and resources to medical simulation professionals, SimGHOSTS hopes to create a healthcare education culture where people are empowered to use simulation technology to improve learning and patient care outcomes. For this reason, SimGHOSTS has created six core values, the first of which is to innovate the world of healthcare simulation and patient safety.

Other organizational core values include advocating for those operating healthcare simulation technology spaces, educating the professional community to improve outcomes, and networking with global community members at regional events and online hubs. The last two core values are to engage champions, institutions, and organizations, and zeal for the craft of simulation in healthcare throughout the community and profession.

More About the Baylor University LHSON

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) is located in the heart of Dallas and prepares baccalaureate and graduate level nurses within a Christian community for professional practice, healthcare leadership, and worldwide service. LHSON provides a competitively robust education through the integration of faith and academic excellence; Baylor nurses have been called to make a difference and care for others by serving as Jesus’ hands and feet. Their distinguished reputation exemplifies our motto: Learn. Lead. Serve.

LHSON Simulation is in the midst of a large expansion, from approximately 2,500 square feet to almost 35,000 square feet. This growth was made possible by the opening of the new Academic Building in June 2018. Vacated classrooms, faculty offices, and administrative spaces made way for more lab spaces and the creation of the Clinical Simulation Building (CSB). The LHSON Simulation Staff is also growing and redefining roles. The current 3-person team oversees all administrative, educational, and operational responsibilities. Recently, they added additional support to six new full-time staff simulation educators.

Learn More About SimGHOSTS

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.