SIRC - National League for Nursing

With the increased usage of simulation in nursing programs across the country and around the world, faculty and students are discovering new ways of teaching and learning.

In Designing and Developing Simulations, you will acquire the foundational knowledge needed to begin using simulations as a valuable learning tool. A template for creating scenarios is included, along with instructions on how to complete it. At the end of the course, a completed scenario template is provided for Julio, a 14 year old with asthma, followed by a video segment that shows a group of students engaged in the simulation with Julio.

1. Define simulation in reference to health care.
2. Discuss a framework which may be used to develop simulations for health care professionals.
3. Describe the continuum of types of simulations from low to high fidelity.
4. Describe the specific design features used to develop simulations.
5. Provide exemplars for which simulation could be valuable as a learning tool.
6. Create a simulation using the simulation design template.

Mary L. Cato, MSN, RN, is a simulation specialist and Lead Faculty in the Oregon Health & Science University Simulation and Clinical Learning Center. She has been using simulation to teach nursing for more than three years, and has been involved in the development of over 100 scenarios. Mary has also trained many simulation specialists as part of her work with the Oregon Simulation Alliance.