The Western States Simulation Alliance (WSSA), formerly known as The California Simulation Alliance (CSA), is a non-profit program within HealthImpact. This transformation allows individuals, organizations, and associations from California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, and Hawai’i to collaborate, contribute, and take advantage of offerings, resources, and other benefits across the western states. This HealthySimulation.com article will highlight Western States Simulation Alliance, led by Dr. KT Waxman, and their commitment to the advancement of healthcare simulation.
History of California Simulation Alliance (CSA)
The California Simulation Alliance (CSA) was established in 2008 as a virtual entity to unite simulation users across California. The CSA’s inception was influenced by the earlier formation of the Bay Area Simulation Collaborative (BASC) in the mid-2000s. The BASC was initiated to integrate simulation into nursing curricula and hospital training programs throughout California. This collaborative effort was spearheaded by the California Institute for Nursing & Health Care (CINHC ), now HealthImpact, and received funding from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation that supported the BASC’s mission to enhance simulation-based education. CSA’s primary objectives are to foster inter-organizational research, disseminate information to stakeholders, create a common language for simulation, and provide educational courses. The
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Western States Simulation Alliance Leadership
Numerous healthcare simulation professionals have been involved with CSA and WSSA. One of these individuals involved is KT Waxman, DNP, MBA, RN, CNL, CENP, CHSE, FSSH, FAONL, FAAN. Dr. KT Waxman is a national nurse leader and executive with extensive experience in healthcare and corporate settings. She is a Professor at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Nursing, and is the Director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program. She is also the Director of the Western States Simulation Alliance (WSSA), formerly the California Simulation Alliance. In addition to her work at UCSF and the WSSA, she is the Editor-in-Chief of Nursing Administration Quarterly (NAQ). An internationally known speaker and author, Waxman is also a Past President of the Association of California Nurse Leaders (ACNL) and past board member, serving as Treasurer, for the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL). She is a Past President of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH), a 5,000+ member international, inter-professional organization.
The WSSA Manager and another leader is Alexandra Duke, DNP, RN-BC, CEN, CHSE, CNEcl, EBP-C. Dr. Duke is a DNP nurse leader with clinical specialties and national certifications in emergency and medical-surgical nursing. Additional areas of expertise include evidence-based practice, academic clinical nursing education, and healthcare simulation.
Vision, Mission, and Values of the WSSA
WSSA’s vision is to strengthen the healthcare simulation workforce through high-quality simulation. To achieve this, the organization works to strengthen expertise in simulation and advocate for simulation policy through interprofessional education, collaboration and evidence-based practice. With this goal, WSSA’s values remain rooted in education, collaboration, partnerships, research, and policy.
The Western States Simulation Alliance believes that evidence-based simulation prepares learners for practice, strengthens curricula, and that all simulation faculty need ongoing development. To effectively collaborate, alliance members must network and share best practices, while strategic partnerships help them to advance simulation best practices and expand opportunities for outreach. Furthermore, the WSSA promotes inter-organizational research on simulation, and acts as a voice for simulation to continuously improve the preparation of the healthcare simulation workforce.
- Vision: Strengthening the healthcare workforce through high-quality simulation
- Mission: To strengthen expertise in simulation and advocate for simulation policy through interprofessional education, collaboration, and evidence-based practice
- Values: Education, Collaboration, Partnerships, Research, Policy
- Education: We believe that evidence-based simulation prepares students for practice, strengthens curricula, and that all simulation faculty need ongoing development
- Collaboration: Networking and sharing best practices to strengthen our alliance
- Partnerships: Strategic partnerships are critical to advance simulation best practices and expand opportunities for outreach
- Research: We promote inter-organizational research on simulation
- Policy: We are a voice for simulation to continuously improve the preparation of the healthcare workforce
WSSA Membership Benefits
There are numerous benefits to enrollment as a subscriber to the WSSA for an annual fee. These benefits are excellent professional development opportunities and can provide preparation for the CHSE and CHSOS certifications. Other benefits include:
- Assess to over 125 validated and tested clinical, leadership, and implicit bias scenarios. Many of these have been mapped to the AACN Essentials.
- Discounts to simulation courses taught by experienced simulation faculty in-person and on Zoom.
- Courses will be scheduled in Oregon and Washington with the evolution to these states.
- Discounts to the WSSA-sponsored Simulation Conferences
- Access to the WSSA Simulation Coordinator list, list-serve, policy briefs on simulation, regional survey data, forms, and job descriptions
- Newsletters and e-blasts
- For Institutional WSSA Subscribers: Access to preferred vendor pricing agreements with: Laerdal, Limbs & Things, EMS, Medical Shipment, Elevate Healthcare, Prism, Kyoto, and the Debriefing Academy
- For Institutional WSSA Subscribers: Free job opening postings in weekly e-blasts
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Western States Simulation Alliance Simulation Courses
The CSA / WSSA is a leader in faculty development for simulation educators, having trained over 4,000 simulation faculty. To foster simulation in healthcare and improve patient safety, the WSSA offers courses that serve as a resource for these healthcare simulation interprofessional faculty members, and promote overall research on simulation.
WSSA courses are designed for all levels and follow principles of adult learning. All courses are interactive and immersive in nature, and support the transition of the learner from novice to expert. The WSSA courses are preparatory for the Certification as Healthcare Simulation Educator (CHSE) endorsed by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. Some of the courses are virtual and others are in-person:
- The Master Debriefer Course
- Advanced Debriefing Course
- Simulation Level I Training – Beginner
- The Clinical Debriefer Course
- Advanced Debriefing
- 2-Day Simulation Intensive
- Simulation Operations Specialists
- Advanced Debriefing with Implicit Bias
The Mentor Program is a structured support program for healthcare faculty engaged in simulation education. This mentor program pairs individual learners with experienced WSSA instructors. This program facilitates the growth of simulation faculty from Novice to Competent instructors in alignment with the Benner theoretical model utilized by the WSSA.
WSSA Conference – Regularly WSSA offers conference events in different locations to support the regional communities with networking, resource sharing, vendor demos and more. Check the WSSA website or visit the HealthySimulation.com conference listings page to learn more!
Implicit Bias Resources
Studies indicate that healthcare professionals are not exempt from bias. Education, introspection, and dialogue surrounding one’s own bias can create significant emotions. The goal of the implicit bias scenario series is to provide a clinical experience that allows the learner to safely explore concepts of bias while having the opportunity to develop and practice specific interpersonal skills. Current implicit bias scenarios include the topics of:
- Substance Use Disorder
- Weight Stigma/Linguistic Competency
- Obstetrics
- Transgender
- Microaggression
WSSA is seeking interested individuals to write scenarios that focus on implicit bias situations. The Work Group with complete experiences for use with interprofessionals involved in healthcare. There is an opportunity to receive training on how to write and conduct implicit bias experiences.
