Overview
In recent years, the integration of online resources has revolutionised healthcare simulation, offering a myriad of benefits to educators, learners, and practitioners alike. These resources encompass a wide range of digital tools, including virtual simulation platforms, online learning modules, video-based scenarios, and interactive simulations.
One of the key advantages of online resources in healthcare simulation is accessibility. They allow users to engage in simulation activities from any location with an internet connection, breaking down geographical barriers and facilitating remote learning and collaboration. This accessibility is particularly valuable in the context of healthcare education, where students and professionals may have limited access to traditional simulation facilities.
Furthermore, online resources enhance flexibility and customisation in simulation-based training. Educators can tailor simulations to meet specific learning objectives, adjust difficulty levels, and provide immediate feedback to learners. This personalised approach promotes active learning and skill acquisition, fostering a deeper understanding of clinical concepts and procedures.
Additionally, online resources offer scalability, allowing healthcare institutions to expand their simulation programs cost-effectively. Virtual simulation platforms, in particular, enable educators to create and deploy a wide range of scenarios efficiently, accommodating large cohorts of learners simultaneously.
Overall, the use of online resources in healthcare simulation holds immense potential to enhance education, improve clinical outcomes, and advance patient safety in healthcare settings.
As our needs vary according to our leaners and the ‘Learning Outcomes’ needs will be different across services, therefore our aim is not to endorse any particular resource, organisation, or company that provides any particular resource, but merely to offer suggestions and a handrail that others may find useful.
Scenario Descriptor
Scenario descriptors play a crucial role in the effective implementation of simulation-based education (SBE), serving as detailed guides for conducting simulated scenarios. These documents encapsulate essential information necessary for both clinical and technical faculty members to understand and execute simulations accurately.
First and foremost, scenario descriptors outline the scenario’s objectives, providing clear goals and learning outcomes for participants. These objectives align with educational objectives, ensuring that simulations target specific skills, competencies, or clinical scenarios deemed essential for healthcare professionals.
Moreover, scenario descriptors delineate the scenario’s context and setting, including relevant patient information, clinical environment, and situational factors. This contextual information helps immerse participants in realistic scenarios, enhancing the simulation’s authenticity and relevance to clinical practice.
In addition to context, scenario descriptors outline the sequence of events or actions that will unfold during the simulation. This includes scripted patient responses, interventions, and potential complications, guiding facilitators in orchestrating the scenario’s progression. By delineating these details, scenario descriptors ensure consistency and standardisation across multiple simulation sessions.
Additionally, scenario descriptors may include logistical details such as equipment requirements, setup instructions, and roles assigned to participants. Clear instructions and role assignments streamline preparation and execution, ensuring smooth and efficient simulation sessions.
Scenario descriptors serve as comprehensive roadmaps for designing, implementing, and debriefing simulated scenarios in healthcare education. By providing clear objectives, contextual information, scripted events, and facilitation cues, these documents optimise the effectiveness and educational value of simulation-based learning experiences.
Simulation Dictionary
The SSH Simulation Dictionary serves as a comprehensive resource for professionals engaged in healthcare simulation, offering standardised terminology and definitions to facilitate clear communication and understanding within the simulation community.
This dictionary encompasses a wide range of terms related to simulation methodology, techniques, equipment, and educational concepts. By providing standardized definitions, it promotes consistency and accuracy in discussions and documentation surrounding simulation-based activities.
Moreover, the SSH Simulation Dictionary evolves continuously to reflect advancements in simulation practice and technology, ensuring that it remains relevant and up-to-date. This dynamic nature allows it to capture emerging trends, innovative approaches, and evolving terminology within the field of healthcare simulation.
In addition to standardising terminology, the SSH Simulation Dictionary fosters collaboration and knowledge sharing among simulation practitioners worldwide. By providing a common language, it enables professionals from diverse backgrounds and settings to exchange ideas, best practices, and lessons learned, ultimately advancing the quality and effectiveness of simulation-based education and training in healthcare.
Definitions of Simulation and Immersive Technologies
NHS England has recognised the transformative potential of simulation and immersive technologies in healthcare. In this document they outline definitions and frameworks for these technologies, and delineate a comprehensive understanding to guide their integration into clinical practice, education, and research.
Simulation, as defined by NHS England, encompasses a spectrum of techniques aimed at mimicking real-life scenarios in a controlled environment. This includes everything from standardised patients and task trainers to high-fidelity manikins and virtual reality simulations. By replicating clinical scenarios, healthcare professionals can enhance their skills, improve decision-making, and refine teamwork in a risk-free setting. Moreover, simulation offers a platform for evaluating new procedures, technologies, and protocols before implementation, thereby enhancing patient safety and quality of care.
Immersive technologies refer to interactive digital environments that simulate real-world experiences. These encompass virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and extended reality (XR). Within healthcare, immersive technologies offer novel avenues for education, training, patient engagement, and therapeutic interventions. For instance, VR simulations can transport medical students into realistic surgical environments, allowing them to practice procedures and develop dexterity in a virtual space. AR applications overlay digital information onto the physical world, enabling surgeons to visualise patient anatomy during procedures and aiding in precision and accuracy.
The document by NHS England serves as a roadmap for harnessing the potential of simulation and immersive technologies across the healthcare continuum. It outlines key terminology, principles, and best practices to inform stakeholders about the application, integration, and evaluation of these technologies. By establishing common definitions and frameworks, the NHS aims to standardise the use of simulation and immersive technologies, fostering innovation, collaboration, and evidence-based practice within the healthcare system.
In conclusion, the NHS England document on simulation and immersive technologies underscores the importance of these tools in advancing healthcare delivery, education, and research. By embracing these technologies, healthcare professionals can enhance their skills, improve patient outcomes, and drive innovation in the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare.
Tools to aid healthcare simulation
Bubble Briefs
A structured tool used in healthcare simulation debriefing to enhance learning and performance by focusing on human factors and non-technical skills. Developed by Dr. Alex Hall and Miss Julie Turner, Bubble Briefs, originally consisting of eight cards, each covering a different topic such as leadership, teamwork, communication, and situational awareness. Version 2 released in 2024 has been expanded to Eleven cards with the ‘patient’ in the centre of the tool.
Before a simulation session, faculty members select the relevant Bubble Brief cards based on the learning objectives of the scenario. During the simulation, observers use the cards to guide their observations and formulate questions. After the simulation, these questions are used to facilitate a debriefing session, encouraging participants to reflect on their actions, decisions, and interactions.
The goal of Bubble Briefs is to create a more focused and effective debriefing process, helping participants identify areas for improvement and reinforcing best practices. By using these cards, facilitators can ensure that important aspects of human factors and non-technical skills are addressed, ultimately leading to better patient care and safer healthcare environments
Below you can download the Bubble Brief document – Please use these in your education if you feel they can add value, but do give the authors the appropriate credit where necessary.
Authors and developers of Bubble Briefs are Miss Julie Turner and Dr Alex Hall.
Lifesaver Cards
Lifesavers in healthcare simulation come in various forms. A faculty member might enter the simulation as a ‘scenario player’ to guide participants, or a pre-programmed event from the Scenario Descriptor might be used to adjust the scenario’s difficulty.
Another option is the use of ‘Lifesaver Cards’.
These cards are given to participants before the simulation, with the instruction that they can use any card at any time. The chosen card dictates the action that follows, such as replaying part of the scenario, transforming it into a bedside teaching moment, requesting assistance from another participant, or calling a ‘time out.’
The purpose of these cards is to provide participants with a sense of safety within the simulation environment, allowing them to address any challenges they encounter. These cards can be downloaded, printed, and laminated for use in your simulation suites.
Designer: Alex Saunders
