Real World Simulations
By Ann Marie Hoyt-Brennan
Simulation Education Specialist, University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing
Introduction
The need for well-prepared healthcare professionals is evident in the wake of national
and international disasters. The September 11th attacks, the Boston Marathon
bombing, the airport bombing in Brussels,
tornado touchdowns, the Louisiana floods,
California wildfires, and the Orlando Florida nightclub shooting are just some of the
events involving massive causalities. These
events have overwhelmed local healthcare
systems and highlighted the pressing need
for targeted preparation of the healthcare
workforce.
The American Association of Colleges of
Nursing’s The Essentials of Baccalaureate
Education for Professional Nursing Practice
(2008) and Quality and Safety Education
for Nurses (2011) include competencies
for nurses to act responsibly in the event
of a disaster. In response to the increased
frequency of disasters, nurse educators are
challenged to develop teaching methodologies that integrate emergency preparedness
into the nursing curricula.
At the University of Pennsylvania, School
of Nursing, faculty include this content in
a community nursing course. First-semester
senior students learn about the variety
of professional nursing roles available in
settings outside of an acute care hospital.
Through various clinical placements and
simulations, nursing students are exposed to
scenarios highlighting important leadership
and clinical skills in both traditional and
non-traditional settings. Content experts
are enlisted to act as patients (or clients)
Fall 2016 Pennsylvania Nurse 16