Professional Development & Simulation Competency for Staff in a Major Hospital System

Abstract : Simulation use has increased tremendously over the past 10 years, especially since COVID-19. Simulation is known to provide an opportunity for learners to practice and gain knowledge and improve critical thinking and skills application without placing patients at risk (INACSL, 2021). This increase has caused an increased need for simulation-based education (SBE) trained educators. Currently, there is limited availability and insufficient development of competency-based training programs for simulation educators (Roh & Issenberg, 2022). The instructional competence of simulation educators is crucial in simulation-based education and the assurance of a safe learning environment for participants (Fornstronen et al., 2020). The majority of research on SBE has primarily focused on the simulation activity itself and the outcomes for learners, rather than addressing the development of the necessary skill set for simulation educators (Paige et al., 2020). As a result, there is limited empirical research available. Due to the lack of training and available resources for educator skill development in SBE, there can be inconsistent methods and varying quality of debriefings. The reported percentage of educators who have received formalized simulation training ranges from 19% to 47% (Paige et al., 2020). However, this percentage is influenced by the allocation of financial support and time for educator development, which is rarely discussed in the literature. One source indicates that only 7% of institutions provide such support (Paige et al., 2020). Comprehensive guidelines for designing training courses for simulation educators are needed to address consistency in training topics, duration, and delivery methods of training programs.