Hospital-Based Simulation

This chapter discusses the current state of hospital-based simulation, including the unprecedented events of 2020's global COVID-19 pandemic. Hospital-based simulation training requires a new approach. The realities of social distancing and the operational demands of hospital staffing ratios warrant creative adaptations of traditional simulation training methods. Hospitals used simulation to improve patient outcomes by training healthcare staff and students through telesimulation, and tested systems and equipment using in situ simulation (ISS). Latent safety threats (LSTs) were identified and corrected to improve patient outcomes. Hospital-based simulation has been incorporated into newly licensed registered nurses (NLRNs) residency programs to prepare them for competent practice. Simulations are also used for preparing staff for low-incidence, high-risk medical emergencies or disasters, such as active shooter events. Hospital-based simulation training adds value to healthcare systems, but requires more evidence of its quantitative and qualitative impacts.