e397 Presentation Abstracts from 2012 INACSL Conference
role playing for an end-of-the term competency simulation. Other clinical
courses in the pre-licensure program now including volunteer clients to
enhance simulations include the adult health and psychiatric nursing
courses.
This presentation will focus on the simulation lab coordination and
management required for the successful operation of the volunteer client
program. Tips and strategies will be shared for the development, organiza-
tion, and day-to-day operations of the volunteer client program which
requires over 600 volunteer hours each semester. Share ideas and learn how
one program is addressing such issues as staffing, policy and database
development, volunteer recruiting and marketing, scheduling, volunteer
parking, collaborationwith faculty and simulation lab personnel, budget, and
evaluation of the experiences.
Outcomes from the Volunteer Client Program have been positive. Both
student nurses and volunteer ‘‘patients’’ report very high satisfaction
with the experience. Out of the over 400 students surveyed since 2008,
87% reported they are ‘‘better prepared to take an actual health history in
the clinical setting.’’ Additionally, over 97% of the student nurses
recommended the continued use of volunteer patients in their education.
Volunteers are also very enthusiastic about their involvement and
rewarding opportunity to help future nurses and improve health care in
our community. Adjectives used to describe the nursing students include:
great job, very thorough, organized, energetic, good listener, very
professional, thoughtful, and considerate, kind, and caring. One volun-
teer commented that her ‘‘confidence in nurses continues to be sky-
high.’’
‘‘Other duties as assigned: The true meaning when runninga simulation center’’
Level of Presentation: Novice
Tiffany L. Holmes, D.C., Coordinator of Simulation Laboratories, St.
David’s School of Nursing at Texas State University, 512-716-2950,
Beth Hallmark, PhD, RN, Belmont University Gordon E. Inman
College of Health Sciences and Nursing, St. David’s School of Nursing,
Texas State University, 1555 University Blvd., Round Rock, TX 78665
Learning Objectives
1. Define the vague phrase ‘‘Other Duties as Assigned’’ in relation to
working within a simulation center by detailing the day to day respon-
sibilities and provide solutions to reduce the occurrence and tedious-
ness of these tasks.
2. Discuss the ideal candidate for staffing a simulation center.
Employees working in simulation are often heard saying ‘‘I never knew
I would be doing this for this job.’’ Those unexpected tasks/duties are
encompassed in one small phrase used on most job descriptions: ‘‘Other
duties as assigned.’’ Although this ambiguous phrase will never truly be
defined, creating accurate expectations are vital components to finding
excellent employees that match the responsibilities of the position. This
presentation will describe those other duties and explore ways to decrease
unnecessary tasks. Presenters will provide experiences to prepare a new
employee or employer for what is to come when working in a simulation
center. Discussions will include the correlation of jobs found within the
working world and their existence in the daily operations of a simulation
environment. Solutions will be given to reduce the occurrence and
tediousness of these jobs. Samples of the jobs to be discussed in the
presentation are a Sanitation Specialist, an Accountant and
a Housekeeper.
Participants will gain pearls of wisdom from presenters that are
currently managing simulation centers with little to no staff but have
managed staffs as large as 7 or more. Their experiences in working in the
trenches of a simulation lab will provide an invaluable resource to all
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levels of simulation employees and employers to lasso the best simulation
ideas that can be implemented immediately upon returning from the
conference.
Creating Champions: A Tiered Approach for Faculty Development &Buy-In
Level of Presentation: Advanced
Jessica L. Kamerer, MSN, RNC-NIC, Facilitator Simulation Learning
at Lancaster General College of Nursing & Health Sciences, 410 North
Lime Street Lancaster, PA 17602, (717) 544-5478,
Objectives
1. Participants will be able to identify one challenge associated with im-
plementing a simulation education faculty development project and
one strategy to address it.
2. Participants will identify one component of implementing a simulation
education faculty development project.
Simulation has emerged as popular teaching modality in nursing and
medical schools across the country. A survey of 1,060 nursing programs in
the United States revealed that 87% were using simulation and 55% were
using it in five or more courses (Hayden, 2010). More interactive than
traditional lecture methods (Jeffries, 2005), simulation is an effective
learning tool when it is situated in an active, immersive learning
environment and sessions are followed by a guided debriefing session.
With these growing expectations; for many prospective learners, the
presence of simulation could be the deciding factor when choosing
a nursing or health careers program (Turcato, Roberson, & Covert, 2008).
Despite the expected use of simulation in nursing and medical education
programs across the nation, faculty are often under prepared or intimidated
by the technology to properly implement this pedagogy and create
effective learning experiences for students. Faculty members have cited
numerous perceived barriers to implementation of simulation into
curriculum. Jansen, Johnson, Larson, Berry & Benner identified barriers
such as: time, training to operate and manage simulations, application to
practice, engaging learners, and lack of staffing in their study that
surveyed nursing faculty across 5 universities on what kept them from
implementing simulation into their courses (2009). Overall, the most
common barrier identified is the need for training to facilitate simulation
(Hayden, 2010).
Despite the increased demand and implementation of simulation,
a lack of training programs and standardization of education for faculty
on using these teaching methods inhibits its use. With high cost
equipment, shifts from traditional teaching paradigms, and technology
overload apprehension on how, when, and why to use simulation in their
teaching practices is understandable. The tiered education approach was
created to address these concerns to properly train educators on the best
practices identified in literature for facilitating and implementing
simulation based education. By training educators, the aim was to also
increase buy-in within the organization by making them more comfort-
able, thus leading to increased usage, implementation, and adoption by
new consumers. This presentation is an exploration of how one institution
came to create an innovative tiered educational approach to: get buy in,
promote learner centered education and create faculty simulation
champions. This pioneering approach provided education and resources
for the organization’s educators in academia and staff development to
utilize simulation effectively in a learner-centered facilitated approach.
As expected, these outcomes led to increased buy in by organizational
stakeholders and educators. During the presentation the challenges,
development, and implementation of this faculty development project
will be discussed.
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Presentation Abstracts from 2012 INACSL Conference e398
A challenge of managing simulation centers is achieving buy in from
stake holders in the necessity of allocating resources to build and
maintain a successful center. The end product of success is creating
extraordinary learning experiences for users. By focusing on the
component of properly educating faculty and staff on the best practices
of facilitating simulation, it serves both the stakeholders’ need for
justification of resources while proving the productiveness of its methods
by providing quality educational experiences to learners. As the use of
simulation grows in programs across the nation, the need for proper
training methods on using it will grow as well. Thus this will create
a demand for standardization of education programs in the future of
simulation.
Blazing a Trail to Build a Simulation Program
Level of Presentation: Audience: Novice
Tom LeMaster, RN, MSN, Med, REMT-P, Program Director, Center for
Simulation and Research, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Office
513.636.8048, 513.379.5670, [email protected]
Jenn Manos, RN, BSN, Institution: Center for Simulation and
Research, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Cincinnati, OH
Objectives: Identify three operational components required to develop
a simulation program.
Describe the development of a business plan when creating a simulation
center.
The purpose of this presentation is to share the experience and lessons
learned in the development of a simulation lab. The Center for Simulation
and Research was developed like many, out of a small closet and one human
patient simulator. Since 2001, the center has expanded twice and added 11
human patient simulators. Our journey moving from a fee for service to
a hospital and outreach supported program offers many lessons learned for
those new to simulation or starting a simulation program. In addition to being
lab based, in-situ simulations are important to sustain the education programs
in the lab.
At the completion of the program, participants will be able to develop
a plan and outline the needed support and resources to implement
a simulation program. Critical to the process will be the development of
a mission and focus of the center. The program will also review the required
components of a simulation center budget with examples.
As many are seeking to implement simulation in to education
programs, there are many lessons learned from those who have traveled
before them. Sharing the process of the development of a budget,
identifying the needed resources and how to position the simulation
program with in the institution can assist new and developing program to
reach success faster.
The Business of Simulation e Roping It Together With StrategicPlanning
Level of Presentation: Novice
Megan McClintock, MS, RN, Adjunct Faculty, Denver School of
Nursing, 405-229-8984, Denver School of Nursing, 1401 19th Street,
Denver, CO 80202, [email protected]
Cheryl Feken, MS, RN, Assistant Professor of Nursing, Clinical
Simulation Lab Coordinator, Tulsa Community College, 10300 E 81st
Street, Tulsa, OK 74133, 918-595-8696, [email protected]
Objectives
1. Describe 2 benefits of utilizing a strategic plan in the simulation
environment.
pp e385-
2. Begin to develop a three-year plan for your simulation lab utilizing
resources and terms to better define and identify goals, funding, and
marketing ideas.
The Simulation Lab has come to be identified as an environment for
students to integrate theory with practice and a place to deliver patient care
in a no-risk environment. However, this technology is not without cost. The
simulation environment can require significant amounts of creativity in
managing financial resources to maintain and grow. Many nursing faculty
have been placed in coordinator or managing roles in the simulation lab
with minimal knowledge of how to plan or financially operate a simulation
lab.
Identifying and implementing a strategic plan is an effective way to plan
and utilize financial resources. Being prepared with the necessary data,
knowing the vision of the lab, and knowing what resources will be needed
provides the simulation coordinator/manager the ability to better use
financial resources when they become available.
This session will move you from learning about simulation to doing
simulation strategically with a plan to guide you along the way. Failure
to plan strategically is often the biggest obstacle to simulation programs.
We will take what you have learned at this session and identify what is
practical for you to implement NOW. Don’t leave here with notes...leave
with a plan!
Making Maximum Use of Resources through Organizational Efficiency
Level of Presentation: Novice
Cristina Richards, BSHA, Instructional Services Specialist, University
of Iowa College of Nursing, Nursing Clinical Education Center, 200
Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA, 319-356-3902, cristina-
Ellen Cram, PhD, RN, Assistant Dean, Undergraduate and Pre-
licensure Programs, Clinical Associate Professor, University of Iowa
College of Nursing, Nursing Clinical Education Center, 200 Hawkins
Drive, Iowa City, IA
Objectives: At the completion of this session, the participant will be able to:
1. Identify organizing strategies.
2. Explain cost savings opportunities through systemization.
In most labs/simulation centers, supply storage is a major concern. No
matter how much planning goes into the design of a facility, people who
work in simulation centers generally agree additional storage is desirable.
Efficient use of all available space is a high priority. A diverse array of
supplies is required for the varied levels of learners who use the center and
for the wide scope of conditions with which students and clinicians work.
With multiple users in a center, it becomes even more challenging to keep
storage space uniformly organized. For instance, if a user experiences
difficulty finding an item, the easy answer is to repurchase that supply.
Sometimes in this situation the user resorts to hoarding supplies in hidden
location which then restricts use by others and minimizes financial
efficiency through inflated supply levels. This creates frustration, increased
cost, potential for increased long-term loss, and possible delay in a planned
learning activity.
Standardized locations, par levels and ease of identification of supplies
can be difficult to achieve because of the complexity of use of
a simulation center. Automated shelving, computerized inventory control,
and multipurpose storage containers are useful, but may be higher cost
solutions than are supportable. The answer to disarray may not need to be
high cost or highly technical. For example, each space must be given
a clear purpose that all users can easily identify and understand without
need for excessive explanation. The strategy used in our center for
creating order out of chaos will be shared. Improvement strategies
discussed will suggest ways to preserve time, dollars, and energy, leaving
more focus on learners.
e416 � Clinical Simulation in Nursing � Volume 8 � Issue 8