From Centralized to Decentralized Model of Simulation-Based Education:

Curricular Integration of Take-Home Simulators in Nursing Education

 

Brenda Barth, Artur Arutiunian, Julia Micallef, Mithusa Sivanathan, Zhujiang Wang, Dana Chorney, Elaine Salmers, Janet McCabe, Adam Dubrowski

 

Simulation laboratories support the teaching and learning of required competencies and skills for professional nursing practice [1]. They provide experiential classrooms where nursing students learn and practice several skills in an environment that offers the practicality of a clinical setting without the risks to patient safety. This will be referred to as the centralized model of simulation-based education (Ce-SBE), where learners must congregate at a simulation lab to practice their skills under supervision and expert feedback using commercially available simulators … Before March of 2020, when the World Health Organization declared a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, these specific regulated clinical skills were taught and practiced in simulation laboratories. However, during the pandemic, access to these simulation laboratories became limited due to physical distancing, and to continue skills development, other options needed to be considered [2]. This will be referred to as the decentralized model of simulation-based education (De-SBE), where learners can practice clinical, hands-on skills outside of the simulation laboratories from the comfort of their homes or other locations … read more