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President's Message: Simulation Faculty Development
Clinical Simulation in Nursing (2011) 7, e203-e204
www.elsevier.com/locate/ecsn
Editorial
President’s Message: Simulation Faculty Development As the use of simulation expands throughout the world, so does the need for proper faculty training in this area. Both high- and low-fidelity simulation methodologies are now being used in nursing, medical, and other allied health professional schools, and are being expanded to include high-stakes testing situations. Through competency evaluation with simulation, decisions are made with respect to progression and graduation in our nursing programs. Another type of simulation experience, the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), has been used for years in medical schools to make progression and graduation decisions. The National Council of State Board of Nursing is in the progress of conducting its own multisite study examining learning outcomes related to the percentage of simulation incorporated into prelicensure programs. And inpatient and outpatient settings are using simulation for competency testing, which could result in important outcomes related to hiring and termination. Because simulation is now being used for such important decisions, the simulation experience must be designed appropriately and adhere to strict educational standards. Simulation is one example of an experiential teaching and learning methodologydwith nuances that set it apart from other experiential methods, such as clinical or case study approach. In order to be successful, the simulation educator or facilitator needs current knowledge related to clinical topics, information related to the design of quality educational experiences, an understanding of simulation teaching methodologies, and the technical skills in order to use the simulation manikins or recordings that so many use for debriefing and validation. Many faculty members or professional educators possess expert clinical knowledge, but may lack the knowledge and expertise related to design of educational experiences, experiential learning theories, current simulation teaching methods, debriefing methods, and use of technology. If simulation is now being used for important decisions such as academic progression, graduation, competency testing, and hiring decisions, our
simulation educators must have the education and training in order to design and standardize the experiences. Luckily, there are many methods to obtain both introductory and advanced knowledge related to the delivery of high-quality, academically sound simulation training experiences. Many academic and health care institutions are offering immersive training courses for anywhere from 1 day to 1 week in duration. The benefits to these courses are that they are concise immersive experiences that are completed over a short period of time. Other academic institutions are offering postbaccalaureate online and faceto-face certificate programs that issue graduate credits for their courses. Because these programs offer graduate credits, many employers may reimburse expenses, and these courses may be considered electives in masters or doctoral programs. Another method to enhance your educational skills is to attend our International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) conference, which is held each June. This is a great opportunity to expand your simulation knowledge and network with other simulation educators and facilitators. Finally, I am pleased to announce that INACSL is dedicating the resources necessary to offer faculty development opportunities to the global simulation community. In September, INACSL provided a webinar presentation for the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) focusing on the INACSL Standards for Practice in Simulation. This presentation was offered freeof-charge to AACN and INACSL members, and provided valuable information to simulation educators worldwide. Future plans are to offer more simulation-based webinar presentations focused upon the feedback from each presentation. INACSL is also in the process of creating a workshop that provides in-depth information related to each of the Standards. Initial plans for this workshop involve offering this service worldwide to those requesting additional simulation knowledge and expertise. Your INACSL Standards are providing the framework for these faculty
1876-1399/$ - see front matter Ó 2011 International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning. Published by Elsevier Inc.
doi:10.1016/j.ecns.2011.09.001
Editorial
e204
development opportunities. This is one example of how your membership fees are assisting to advance the discipline of simulation worldwide, which aligns with the mission of our organization. With a strong focus on simulation-based faculty development opportunities, INACSL continues to remain a global leader in supporting our colleagues from service and academia with their educational needs. As the use of simulation for high-stakes testing and decisions
grows, so will the faculty development opportunities of INACSL. Valerie M. Howard, EdD, MSN, RN Director, Robert Morris University Regional Research and Innovation in Simulation Education (RISE) Center, School of Nursing and Health Sciences, Moon Township, PA 15108, USA
pp e203-e204 Clinical Simulation in Nursing Volume 7 Issue 6
www.elsevier.com/locate/ecsn
Editorial
President’s Message: Simulation Faculty Development As the use of simulation expands throughout the world, so does the need for proper faculty training in this area. Both high- and low-fidelity simulation methodologies are now being used in nursing, medical, and other allied health professional schools, and are being expanded to include high-stakes testing situations. Through competency evaluation with simulation, decisions are made with respect to progression and graduation in our nursing programs. Another type of simulation experience, the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), has been used for years in medical schools to make progression and graduation decisions. The National Council of State Board of Nursing is in the progress of conducting its own multisite study examining learning outcomes related to the percentage of simulation incorporated into prelicensure programs. And inpatient and outpatient settings are using simulation for competency testing, which could result in important outcomes related to hiring and termination. Because simulation is now being used for such important decisions, the simulation experience must be designed appropriately and adhere to strict educational standards. Simulation is one example of an experiential teaching and learning methodologydwith nuances that set it apart from other experiential methods, such as clinical or case study approach. In order to be successful, the simulation educator or facilitator needs current knowledge related to clinical topics, information related to the design of quality educational experiences, an understanding of simulation teaching methodologies, and the technical skills in order to use the simulation manikins or recordings that so many use for debriefing and validation. Many faculty members or professional educators possess expert clinical knowledge, but may lack the knowledge and expertise related to design of educational experiences, experiential learning theories, current simulation teaching methods, debriefing methods, and use of technology. If simulation is now being used for important decisions such as academic progression, graduation, competency testing, and hiring decisions, our
simulation educators must have the education and training in order to design and standardize the experiences. Luckily, there are many methods to obtain both introductory and advanced knowledge related to the delivery of high-quality, academically sound simulation training experiences. Many academic and health care institutions are offering immersive training courses for anywhere from 1 day to 1 week in duration. The benefits to these courses are that they are concise immersive experiences that are completed over a short period of time. Other academic institutions are offering postbaccalaureate online and faceto-face certificate programs that issue graduate credits for their courses. Because these programs offer graduate credits, many employers may reimburse expenses, and these courses may be considered electives in masters or doctoral programs. Another method to enhance your educational skills is to attend our International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) conference, which is held each June. This is a great opportunity to expand your simulation knowledge and network with other simulation educators and facilitators. Finally, I am pleased to announce that INACSL is dedicating the resources necessary to offer faculty development opportunities to the global simulation community. In September, INACSL provided a webinar presentation for the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) focusing on the INACSL Standards for Practice in Simulation. This presentation was offered freeof-charge to AACN and INACSL members, and provided valuable information to simulation educators worldwide. Future plans are to offer more simulation-based webinar presentations focused upon the feedback from each presentation. INACSL is also in the process of creating a workshop that provides in-depth information related to each of the Standards. Initial plans for this workshop involve offering this service worldwide to those requesting additional simulation knowledge and expertise. Your INACSL Standards are providing the framework for these faculty
1876-1399/$ - see front matter Ó 2011 International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning. Published by Elsevier Inc.
doi:10.1016/j.ecns.2011.09.001
Editorial
e204
development opportunities. This is one example of how your membership fees are assisting to advance the discipline of simulation worldwide, which aligns with the mission of our organization. With a strong focus on simulation-based faculty development opportunities, INACSL continues to remain a global leader in supporting our colleagues from service and academia with their educational needs. As the use of simulation for high-stakes testing and decisions
grows, so will the faculty development opportunities of INACSL. Valerie M. Howard, EdD, MSN, RN Director, Robert Morris University Regional Research and Innovation in Simulation Education (RISE) Center, School of Nursing and Health Sciences, Moon Township, PA 15108, USA
pp e203-e204 Clinical Simulation in Nursing Volume 7 Issue 6