Healthcare simulation organizations exist across the globe, and range in focus from specialties like pediatric simulation to virtual reality simulation. Together, clinical simulation organizations are providing a means for simulationists and learners worldwide to have access to clinical simulation updates and network with the medical simulation community. Membership in a healthcare simulation organization can also open doors to clinical simulation opportunities and access to medical simulation research. There are numerous other benefits to joining a healthcare simulation organization.
HealthySimulation.com has direct media partnerships with many of the organizations listed below. Learn more about all HealthySimulation.com Media Partners. These media partnerships allow for an exchange of healthcare simulation news and information to promote awareness and opportunity by the global medical simulation community to key resources. All of our media partners are key non-profit organizations that we highly recommend the community learn and when appropriate, join!
Throughout the year, many healthcare simulation organizations host a series of workshops, events, and larger conferences. These healthcare simulation conferences are typically over presentations on abstracts from clinical simulation experts. They are also often designed to provide an opportunity for simulationists, educators, and learners from both clinical and academic backgrounds to connect. Through these connections and collaboration, they are able to share, learn, and grow the healthcare simulation industry. Overall, healthcare simulation organizations help create a way for like-minded healthcare simulation enthusiasts to come together for a common goal. Working together to improve the field of clinical simulation will have a vast impact on future healthcare providers and practitioners as medical education continues to be revolutionized by the practice. Acting as a resource, those interested in healthcare simulation can find a great deal of information by visiting medical simulation organization websites and reaching out to their leadership teams.
Learn more about other International Healthcare Simulation Collaborative Nonprofit Organizations and U.S. Healthcare Simulation Organizations by State.
Healthcare Simulation Organization List (* Indicates Media Partner)
ASPE*: The Association of Standardized Patient Educators (ASPE) is a global organization focused on human simulation via Standardized Patients, aka Simulated Patients. Headquartered in Altamonte Springs, Fla., the organization serves as a virtual community for connection to the field of medical simulation. Designed with member convenience in mind, ASPE is responsive and easily accessible from a computer, phone or personal device.
ASPiH UK*: The Association for Simulated Practice in Healthcare, is a UK-based non-profit membership organization formed in 2010 that is made up of professionals from the fields of healthcare, education, and patient safety. These members include researchers, learning technologists, workforce development managers, education managers, administrators, and healthcare staff and students. Members of the ASPiH tend to have a genuine interest in both new and innovative methods of learning and wish to optimize the use of available clinical simulation resources across their work.
CSA: The California Simulation Alliance (CSA) is a virtual entity and a program within the California Institute for Nursing & Healthcare. The association is a statewide network that serves as an information clearinghouse and umbrella for seven regional collaboratives that provide healthcare simulation education and research. In addition to this, each year the California Simulation Alliance hosts a variety of simulation conferences to push healthcare simulation to the next level of utilization.
INACSL*: The International Nursing Association for Clinical and Simulation Learning (INACSL) is an association dedicated to advancing the science of healthcare simulation. With over 1,800 members worldwide, the organization’s mission is to be the global leader in the art and science of healthcare simulation through excellence in nursing education, practice, and research. INACSL’s goal is also to advance the science of nursing simulation by providing professional development, networking resources, and leadership in defining healthcare simulation standards of best practice. INACSL membership provides the education, resources, and tools that best address current challenges and help support learners, educators, and professional goals related to the learning of healthcare simulation’s latest developments.
INSPIRE: The International Network for Simulation-based Pediatric Research, Innovation and Education (INSPIRE) is a collaborative group of healthcare professionals whose goal is to improve the lives of children through healthcare simulation. Together, medical simulation experts, clinicians, educators, investigators, statisticians, human factors researchers, and psychologists work to serve as a global community that catalyzes discoveries and promotes collaboration in simulation-based research, scholarship, and innovation. INSPIRE was established in 2011 and built loosely around institutions and researchers who are currently collaborating on multi-center simulation research, as well as those who have completed and/or are awaiting new projects to join.
IPSS*: The International Pediatric Simulation Society (IPSS) is a global community of pediatricians, pediatric subspecialists, pediatric nurses, educators, and other allied health professionals who are dedicated to improving the care of infants and children worldwide. They work to achieve this outcome through multi-disciplinary, simulation-based education, training, and research in pediatric simulation. The society strives to extend the knowledge and skills that participating members have gained to the widest possible audience. Extending membership and involvement to all healthcare professionals who care for children and infants, regardless of the geographic location where they practice, IPSS has become a global voice influencing worldwide childcare innovation, integration, and motivation.
NLN SIRC: Founded in 1893 as the American Society of Superintendents of Training Schools for Nurses, the National League for Nursing was the first nursing organization in the United States. Dedicated to excellence in nursing, the National League for Nursing is the premier organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education. The NLN offers professional development, networking opportunities, testing services, nursing research grants, and public policy initiatives to all 40,000 individuals and 1,200 institutional members. NLN members represent nursing education programs across the spectrum of medical simulation, higher education, healthcare organizations, and agencies.
NPSB*: The NPSB Policy & Advocacy Coalition was established in February 2021. Proposed as an independent federal agency to conduct centralized studies into medical mishaps and systemic breakdowns to prevent future catastrophes, the NPSB Policy, and Advocacy Coalition represents providers, consumers, health plans, patient safety groups, employers, and other purchasers of healthcare, technology companies, foundations, and universities.
SESAM EU*: The Society for Simulation in Europe (SESAM) is a healthcare simulation organization designed to encourage and support the use of simulation in healthcare for the purpose of training and research. Not affiliated with any medical or other specialties, the organization includes members with wide and varied backgrounds from within healthcare and medical education. All members have an interest and passion in medical simulation, and together they form a dynamic clinical simulation community filled with international protagonists of medical simulation across all of Europe.
SimGHOSTS*: SimGHOSTS, also known as The Gathering Of Healthcare Simulation Technology Specialists, is an international United States-based non-profit organization. The organization is dedicated to supporting individuals and institutions operating medical simulation technology and spaces through hands-on training events, online resources, and professional development. By offering support and resources to medical simulation professionals, SimGHOSTS hopes to create a healthcare education culture where people are empowered to use simulation technology to improve learning and patient care outcomes. For this reason, SimGHOSTS has created six core values, the first of which is to innovate the world of healthcare simulation and patient safety.
SimAust*: Simulation Australasia (SimAust), previously known as Simulation Australia, which overseas the Australian Society for Simulation in Healthcare (ASSH), is a non-profit organization management body for simulation that provides a forum for those involved in simulation across Australasia. Founded in 1999, the forum was created to allow for the discussion and distribution of information, and to advance the research, development, and use of simulation technologies. Headquartered in Newcastle, New South Wales since 2018, Simulation Australia works to advance medical simulation practices in society, industry, academia, and government. Simulation Australasia serves as a hub of collaboration, networking, and professional development for forum members. The Simulation Australasia business plan is maintained in line with the company’s strategic direction, and operational planning is directed from the office in Newcastle.
Simulation Canada*: Simulation Canada (formerly known as SIM-one and the Canadian Network for Simulation in Healthcare) is Canada’s interprofessional, cross-sector network for the advancement of healthcare simulation. SIM-one and the Canadian Network for Simulation in Healthcare completed their integration in September 2017 to establish Simulation Canada, a new, interprofessional simulation network. Ever since, the nonprofit organization has served to connect clinical simulation community members, facilities, and resources across Canada and beyond. Simulation Canada advocates for and advances medical learning through simulations to benefit patient safety and care. Simulation Canada’s vision is a world where exceptional patient care and outcomes through healthcare simulation are universal.
Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH): With over 4,000 members SSiH, aka The Society for Simulation in Healthcare, is the world’s largest organization dedicated to medical simulation. The nonprofit’s mission is to advance the application and promote the art, science, and practice of healthcare simulation through global engagement. SSiH seeks to reduce errors in patient care and improve clinical performance through the use of simulation. Based in the United States, SSiH hosts the annual healthcare simulation conference entitled “International Meeting for Simulation in Healthcare” (IMSH) each year bringing together around 3,000 Simulation Educators, Administrators, and Sim Techs for networking, educational courses, medical simulator exhibition opportunities and more. Learn more about healthcare simulation organizations by reading the articles below.
