Clinical simulation is the use of technology, equipment and expertise to create guided experiences that replicate dynamic, complex and unanticipated medical situations. Clinical simulation takes place in a fully interactive manner, enabling learners to practice and learn essential skills in a safe environment.
Situational context
Human performance in healthcare is strongly influenced by the situational context where the interaction between the task, the environment, and the behaviour of team members are taken into consideration. Extensive research shows that superior cognitive and technical skills are not enough to ensure safety: effective teamwork skills are a must.
Interprofessional learning
Previously, clinical training was independent to each practice. Nurses trained with nurses and doctors trained with doctors, even though they practised in multi-disciplinary teams. Now, training replicates practice and simulation centres allow for safe environments using real and relevant scenarios and tools that do not interfere with day-to-day hospital and health care service delivery.
Benefits of simulation learning
- facilitates acquisition, application and consolidation of knowledge
- offers opportunities to practice increasingly complex skills in a safe and supportive environment
- provides an environment to develop and test clinical judgment, and interact with team members
- fosters reflective practice, life long learning and increased culture of safety and team cohesion
Learning Sessions
The Centre for Interprofessional Clinical Simulation Learning offers a facility for clinical educators, learners and practicing professionals to train in an environment that reflects the health care needs of Victoria and the Island Health region where access, service availability, priority, and cost are important factors.
Further, an interprofessional education model and a team-based, patient-centred care approach are identified as best practices for regions such as ours where long distances between health centres, many remote communities, and a large aging population impact service delivery and quality expectations for a range of health professionals.
Learning sessions are focused on increasingly complex patient needs, changing practice technologies, diverse practise settings and professional specialization.
We are aligned with the provincial model and network defined by the BC Simulation Task Force.
Who can book a learning session?
Our user groups include:
- undergraduate medical students and post-graduate medical residents
- undergraduate midwifery students
- undergraduate (years 3 and 4) and post-graduate nursing students
- practicing professionals such as doctors and nurses, as well as first responders, respiratory therapists, anesthesiologists and midwives
- health researchers from Island Health, UVic, and UBC
Other learners may include social workers, public health care workers, child care workers, health information science workers, among others.
Contact us at CICSL@islandhealth.ca to book a learning session.
We look forward to learning with you!