Tag: INACSL

Have you heard of INACSL? INACSL or the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning is an association dedicated to advancing the science of simulation. I suggest you check out their website at www.inacsl.org. It is full of great tools to help you improve your simulations and enhance the learning that takes place within them.

I feel the greatest tool they have made freely available is the INACSL Standards of Best Practice: Simulation^SM.^¹The standards “were designed to advance the science of simulation, share best practices, and provide evidence-based guidelines for implementation and training.”²  I find this resource of best practices extremely helpful. As a respiratory therapist, I am used to utilizing protocols and best practices to ensure the best patient care available. The standards are built around nursing education, but they easily translate to respiratory care and other medical professions. The INACSL standards of simulation are about the best practice of simulation, not specific disciplines.

There are eight areas covered in the INACSL simulation best practice standards including:

1. Simulation design
2. Outcomes and objectives
3. Facilitation
4. Debriefing
5. Participant evaluation
6. Professional integrity
7. Simulation-enhanced interprofessional education
8. Simulation operation^³

I strongly encourage all who utilize simulation in their curricula to adopt the best practices. Adoption of the standards shows a dedication to the application and quality of evidence-based practices in respiratory education. At IngMar Medical we are dedicated to continually improving mechanical ventilation simulation education by implementing disciplinary standards from leading educational and healthcare societies into practice, such as the AARC (American Association for Respiratory Care), INACSL, and SSH (Society for Simulation in Healthcare).

Respiratory Care has not embraced simulation education to the extent of other medical professions, such as physicians and nurses. I feel that leveraging these tools will be critical to the future success of the respiratory care profession. The use of medical simulation has been proven many times to enhance learning and prepare learners for real life situations.^⁴⁵⁶  The complexities of mechanical ventilation can be explored in a high-fidelity simulation, at the pace the learner needs, without any potential for patient harm. Incorporating the INACSL Standards of Best Practice: Simulation will ensure the best possible simulation will be presented to your learners.

WORKS CITED

1. INACSL Standards Committee. (2018, June 1). INACSL Standards of Best Practice: Simulation.Retrieved from INACSL: https://www.inacsl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3407

2. + 3. INACSL. (2018, June 1). Standards of Best Practice. Retrieved from INACSL: https://www.inacsl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3407

3. Cant R.P., C. S. (2009). Simulation-based learning in nurse education: systematic review. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 66(1), 3-15.

4. McGaghie W.C., I. B. (2016). Revisitng ‘A critical review of simulation-based medical education research: 2003-2009’. Medical Educaiton(50), 986-991.

5. D.L, R., Securro Jr., S., & R.D., P. (2009). The Effect of High-Fidelity Simulation on Educational Outcomes in an Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support Course. Simulaiton in Healthcare(4), 200-206.