Dr. Pam Jeffries, a notable leader in the healthcare simulation global community, discussed the development of healthcare simulation centers designed to create realistic clinical scenarios in a recent HealthySimulation.com hosted open-access CE webinar Developing Healthcare Simulation Centers to Create Realistic Clinical Scenarios. Dr. Jeffries, known for her scholarly work and leadership in nursing education and simulation, emphasized the critical role of realism in simulations to effectively bridge the gap between classroom education and clinical practice. Realism in simulation helps students transition more smoothly into professional roles and practice to allow them to experience clinical scenarios that closely mirror real-life situations. This HealthySimulation.com article will review the role of realism in healthcare simulation and how to increase realism to improve patient care.
Why is Realism Important?
Dr. Jeffries outlined the importance of designing simulations that replicate actual clinical experiences without the constraints of a real-life setting. She explains that realistic simulations facilitate the transfer of skills learned in the classroom to clinical settings, to enhance the educational experience and better prepare students for the complexities of healthcare environments. Key points include the need for educators to avoid asking students to “pretend” in simulations, as this can create confusion when students encounter real clinical scenarios. Instead, educators should provide realistic tools and environments helps reinforce proper behaviors and decision-making skills.
Additionally, Dr. Jeffries addressed the challenges students face to understand clinical concepts until they are actively immersed in simulation scenarios that highlights the emotional and cognitive differences between observation and participation. She emphasizes that students often have unrealistic expectations about clinical support, underscoring the need for simulations that realistically depict the level of autonomy and decision-making required in actual practice. By preparing students through progressively complex scenarios, educators can help them build the skills necessary to navigate the multifaceted realities of clinical environments effectively.
Ways to Increase Realism
Realism can be improved with the replication of the clinical environment. There are some proven strategies to accomplish this.
- Realism and functioning equipment:
- Realistic clinical environment
- High-quality simulation scenarios designed based on the Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice
INACSL’s Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice
The International Nursing Association of Clinical Simulation and Learning’s (INACSL) Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice (HSSOBP) (2021) advance the science of clinical simulation, share best practices, and provide evidence- based guidelines to make simulation-based learning experience consistent around the globe. Informed by both interprofessional and international perspectives, the Standards are a living document applicable to simulation in both academic and practice settings and across manikin, Standardized Patient actor, and distance modalities. The HSSOBP are:
- Professional Development
- Prebriefing
- Simulation Design
- Facilitation
- The Debriefing Process
- Operations
- Outcomes & Objectives
- Professional Integrity
- Simulation-Enhanced-IPE
- Evaluation of Learning and Performance
The Simulation Design Standards specifically states the simulation scenario is purposefully designed to meet the objectives and outcomes of each simulation-based learning experience. This is accomplished by meeting certain criteria which includes consulting with content and simulation experts, designed to meet an identified need, have measurable objectives and outcomes, includes a prebriefing and debriefing plan, incorporates evaluation of the learner and the simulation-based experience, and has been pilot tested. Specifically. in the realism realm, one of the criteria states that various types of fidelity are used to create the required perception of realism.
View the HealthySimulation.com Webinar Developing Healthcare Simulation Centers to Create Realistic Clinical Scenarios to learn more!
Medical Shipment for Realistic Equipment: BD Pyxis MedStation
Medical Shipment is a premium supplier of simulation nursing supplies and equipment. Their goal is to ensure the products they provide fit the needs of healthcare educational programs at a competitive rate, with customer service at the core of our values. They carry an extensive range of products and services, including BD Pyxis MedStation, patient simulators, IV Pumps, medical supplies and more.
Medical Shipment is the exclusive distributor of the BD Pyxis MedStation. The Pyxis system is the same system that is used in a lot of clinical settings. BD Pyxis connected medication and supply management solutions enhance inventory visibility and address medication error challenges to ensure timely availability of medications and supplies across all care settings. By providing a comprehensive management system, BD Pyxis helps eliminate variability that can affect patient safety and operational efficiency, allowing healthcare professionals to focus more on patient care.
With 68% of medication errors occurring during administration, consistent medication management is essential. BD Pyxis medication management software and dispensing machines offer a standardized approach, aligning teams and reducing risks. This ensures that medications are administered accurately and on time, ultimately improving patient outcomes and promoting a safer, more efficient healthcare environment.
Medical Shipment: Realistic Supplies
The Medical Shipment catalog provides an overview of other medical and nursing products to increase the realism of healthcare simulation. Some of these products include manikins, monitors, medical supplies, labels, personal protective equipment, IV Diagnostic system, simulated patient medications, and more.
Medical Shipment offers student kits and kit bags for your nursing program. The type of bag and kits customized to meet the learning needs and outcomes of your nursing students’ program. The kit bags can be designed to have specific amounts and types of supplies to allow the nursing students the opportunity of deliberate practice to competency of skills for nurses ready to transition into professional practice.
Other equipment that provide for realistic opportunities to practice include:
- Infusion Pumps for IVs
- Elevate Healthcare (formerly CAE Healthcare) Manikins
- Hospital Beds and Furniture
- Crash Carts
- Task Trainers
More About Medical Shipment
Medical Shipment was founded in 2007 by Dan Micic, who was still attending Harper College when he first launched the company. What started over 10 years ago with a shipment of 90 cases of gloves to Medline has quickly become a multimillion-dollar annual business that has been named in the Inc 5000 list for three years in a row! Medical Shipment initially focused on Nursing, but it now provides medical supplies, specialized instructional medical devices, and simulation-based products and services to healthcare educational institutions around the world.
MedicalShipment.com is regarded as one of the growing leaders in the medical supply industry. The company flourished in the past decade due to their dedication to customer service and Founder Dan Micic’s drive to impact the industry for the better. Primarily serving colleges, universities, and hospital clients across the country, Medical Shipment plans to continue its recent expansion overseas and establish a significant presence in Europe within the next few years.
