Formal Training Efforts to Develop Simulation Educators: An Integrative Review

Formal training for educators who use simulation-based education (SBE) is required by standards of best practice, simulation guidelines, regulatory, and accrediting bodies. Training efforts to establish educator competency for SBE are being offered. However, a systematic review of this body of literature has yet to be conducted. The purpose of this integrative review was to appraise formal training efforts of educators who use SBE. The aims were to summarize the training topics, describe the structure of training programs, and explore evaluation methods of educators. The New World Kirkpatrick Model guided the review. A PRISMA search approach yielded 2007 citations of which 38 met inclusion criteria. Analysis supports a formalized training process that uses a combination of didactic material, time for repetitive practice, and ongoing feedback with longitudinal and scaffolded delivery approaches. An identified gap in the literature is threshold levels for determining competency of educators. Recommendations for planning simulation training programs are provided.