By: Tonya Schneidereith, PhD, CRNP, CNE, CHSE-A, ANEF, FAAN, University of Maryland and Christine Kasper, PhD, RN, FACSM, FAAN, University of New Mexico
In early 2020, Dr. Tonya Schneidereith was invited by Dean Christine Kasper to serve as the volume editor for the health care simulation edition of the Annual Review of Nursing Research. At that time, the pandemic had not yet led to quarantine. We were still functioning in normal capacities, educating students, faculty, and staff in ways that were familiar. Tonya invited simulation experts to write chapters summarizing the state of the science in academic and practice settings; in operations, practices, and professional development; and in intriguing technologies.
And then our world changed….
And with that change came unprecedented reliance on simulation to solve every clinical need related to education and training. Educators new to simulation and the very experienced sought resources to help guide implementation, and with that, both our strengths and our gaps in knowledge became very clear.
We are immensely proud that the 2021 Annual Review of Nursing Research is now available to aid administrators, faculty, and staff with information needed to address these knowledge gaps. Without summarizing each chapter, here is a 30,000-foot view of what you can expect to find within this edition.
Part I, Simulation in Academia, provides an overview of simulation in undergraduate and graduate simulation, including approaches to curricular integration and the leveled Kirkpatrick framework used in simulation research. Use of SP methodology in undergraduate and graduate education is reviewed, including a fascinating peek at the origins of this teaching method.
Part II, Hospital-based and Interprofessional Simulation, discusses in-situ simulations, including the unprecedented impact of the pandemic on simulation training. The foundations and importance of interprofessional simulation are reviewed from academic and practice perspectives.
Part III, Simulation Practices, Operations, and Professional Development, provides a broad overview of the research that supports implementation of simulation. The four chapters in this section contain essentials needed by administrators, staff, and faculty to integrate current findings and best practices into simulation programs.
The final part of the book, Technologies in Simulation, leaves us contemplating the future. The last two chapters review virtual and augmented realities, as well as the potential uses of 3D printing.
While you may be drawn to chapters that most align with your current role and setting, we encourage you to gain a more comprehensive view by expanding your reading to all parts of the book.
It is clear that the pandemic has proven the value of simulation, reminiscent of the adage “for with fire we test the gold.” Simulation is our gold, and this period of time, unlike any other, has demonstrated that simulation is an integral part of nursing education and practice. The Annual Review is a resource that provides us with an evidence-based platform to build the educational imperative, as well as the science and discipline of the profession. Here is part of the preface:
It is through the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic that we will see new possibilities and opportunities for creativity and out-of-the-box thinking, but all the while we must remember our obligation to enhance the science of simulation through meaningful data collection. Through simulation, we will improve, adapt, and overcome the current way of thinking, educating, and generating new knowledge for a stronger, smarter, and safer healthcare workforce (Schneidereith, 2021, xviii).
Wishing you sustained strength as you continue to “test the gold.”
Reference
Schneidereith, T. A. (2021) Preface. In C.E. Kasper & T.A. Schneidereith (Eds.) Annual review of nursing resesarch: Healthcare simulation (Vol. 39; pp. xvii-xix). Springer Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1891/0739-6686.39.3