Simulation formats

Contact teaching simulations

Simulation teaching can be used to develop competence extensively and concretely by applying evidence-based best practices. Contact simulations imitate real life and provide participants with a skill-based clinical learning experience in a safe learning environment.

Contact teaching simulations are used for both nursing and social work students and professionals. Contact simulations can also be organised for multiprofessional groups. Nursing simulations are organised, for example, on different situations in acute nursing, medical-surgical nursing, reception and outpatient nursing, perioperative nursing and mental health and substance abuse nursing. The simulation exercises are used to train both technical and non-technical skills. In particular, the students prepare for different challenging situations requiring rapid assessment of the situation and decision-making, and the aim is to promote interaction, situational awareness, guidance and consulting skills.

Social work simulations prepare the trainee to manage challenging situations with clients, for example in child welfare and substance abuse work.

Contact simulations for different patient situations in nursing and demanding situations with clients in social work can be implemented as continuing education. Multiprofessional simulations can also be organised.

Virtual simulations

The following terms are used to describe virtual simulations in international literature: virtual simulations, virtual games, virtual worlds, virtual patients and virtual reality (Cant et al. 2019). “Virtual simulation is the recreation of reality depicted on a computer screen” (The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality). Virtual reality is defined as a reality that includes both hardware and software technology. The user of the simulation experiences a sensory illusion of operating in a different environment. When wearing VR glasses, for example, participants can exclude their actual environment from their field of view and immerse themselves in a completely virtual environment. Virtual simulations include interactive, authentic clinical simulation scenarios that can be controlled with the computer screen and VR glasses.

Virtual simulations, which can also utilise augmented reality, offer more opportunities for experiential learning. Virtual simulations can be implemented using different virtual patients and customers. Virtual simulations use videos, 360-degree images, cases and storytelling. Animations and avatars can also be used in virtual simulation teaching modules. Virtual simulations are particularly useful because they enable repeated practising of high-risk situations. Virtual simulations enable working in a way that is safe for the patient. The advantage of virtual simulations is that they are cheaper to implement than contact simulations. They can also be organised independent of time and place. Virtual simulations can be organised, for example, via Teams.

Virtual simulations are carried out especially in acute nursing, gerontological nursing and reception and outpatient nursing.

Remote simulation

Remote simulations can be organised both in different units of the same organisation and between different organisations simultaneously. The progress of the simulation scenario can be monitored simultaneously in several units, and the feedback discussion can take place either together or as separate discussions in different units. Both real actors and video recordings can be utilised in remote simulations. Remote simulations require compatible learning needs, scheduling and technological equipment. Remote simulations can be organised in an agile manner, for example, via Teams.

At the moment, universities of applied sciences also organise joint remote simulations, for example in different situations related to gerontological nursing. Remote simulations can also be used in a tailored manner as continuing education.