Using National Standards to Create Effective Educator-Facilitated Simulation Learning; Evidence-Based Nursing

This project highlights the importance of evidence-based simulation learning in healthcare education. Healthcare institutions benefit from uniformity in simulation practices across departments and educators. This project aims to develop an education program for institutional educators in a large academic healthcare setting in the Western United States that aligns with organizational and national guidelines, best practices, and a code of ethics for healthcare staff, students, and affiliates. Methods: A simulation committee was formed to create an effective training program for educator- facilitated simulation learning. The International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) standards were used as a framework to align program standards with national standards and best practices. In addition, andragogy, commonly referred to as adult learning theory, was considered when the simulation committee created curricula for the educator-facilitator simulation training. Results: A post-training survey found that most educators felt comfortable or very comfortable with the developed training, their understanding of the role of the simulation coordinator, their role in simulation education, and the ability to incorporate the information into their current practice. Conclusions: This program improved the simulation education program's adherence to organizational and national guidelines, best practices, and a code of ethics. Findings from the pre- and post-training surveys and observations made by the simulation committees with literature on effective simulation education highlight that this program has the potential to be used as an effective education tool. This program will enable educators to use simulation for effective education and competency maintenance for healthcare professionals.