Overview of the role and functions of clinical simulation centre coordinators and technicians

What is it about?

The adoption of computer-controlled patient simulators in healthcare education programs can be perceived as having been somewhat slow, despite their relative affordability and successful sales since the beginning of the 21st century (Alinier, 2007; Bradley, 2006). One of the often cited obstacles to patient simulator use is their perceived complexity to install, use and troubleshoot, and their acceptance by some learners (pre- or post-qualification or licensure). In addition, some cite the fear of not being able to control the physiological parameters of the simulator in a realistic and timely fashion during a scenario, so the patient simulator behaves like a real human-being would. The aforementioned concerns highlight the need for an operator with technical expertise as well as some understanding of clinical practice, human physiology, and pharmacology in order to make the simulator behave appropriately and to, even occasionally, be able to respond to unexpected learner actions (Gantt, 2012). This has rapidly become apparent to many institutions around the world; however, there remains absence of formal career paths and training, despite the growing demand for people with these broad ranging attributes. The importance of preparation and skills mix among the team facilitating a simulation session is emphasized in an article by Lambton and Prion (2009) where it is mentioned that the “faculty” need to possess: educational, clinical, and technical expertise. Similar to the real clinical context, where patient care involves the collaboration and contributions of a multi-professional team, the successful facilitation of simulated educational interventions also requires input from professionals with a multitude of skills and attributes. The simulation team may include educational experts, clinicians, psychologists, research scientists, and technologists. This chapter will concentrate on the role of Simulation Operations Specialists (SOS) throughout the world and discuss those who are likely to fulfill simultaneously severalof the above mentioned roles. The boundaries are often blurred in terms of roles and responsibilities. It is unlikely that total clarity will be reached by reading this chapter, since the SOS acts as a key resource to the broader simulation team, often fulfilling multiple roles depending on the core simulation team composition and range of simulation-based activities on offer.

Featured Image