From the Desk of...

KT Waxman DNP, MBA, RN, CNL

KT Waxman DNP, MBA, RN, CNL

ADVANCE: What is the significance of clinical simulation?

Waxman: Clinical simulation is a widely used teaching methodology for nurses, physicians, allied health and healthcare students. According to a recent survey administered by the California Institute for Nursing & Health Care (CINHC), most of the schools of nursing and medicine in California have integrated simulation into their curricula and many of the hospitals are beginning to use simulation for training. With a state as large as California and with such a new teaching strategy being implemented, the need for a simulation alliance was apparent, so the CINHC took the lead on creating the California Simulation Alliance (CSA) in 2008.

ADVANCE: What does the CSA do?

Waxman: The purpose of the CSA is to become a cohesive voice for simulation in healthcare education in the state; to provide for inter-organizational research, disseminate information to stakeholders, create a common language and common training curriculum for faculty and to facilitate best practice identification. The CSA is one of CINHC's key initiatives to promote increasing educational capacity and redesigning nursing education.

ADVANCE: How does this work regionally?

Waxman: I serve as program director for the CSA, which has six organized regional collaboratives: Rural North Area Simulation Collaborative, Capital Area Simulation Collaborative, Bay Area Simulation Collaborative (BASC), Central Valley Simulation Collaborative, Southern California Simulation Collaborative and San Diego Simulation Collaborative.

Working virtually, the alliance has grown rapidly while leveraging the initial funding from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, which funded the BASC. Last year, the Southern California Kaiser Permanente Community Benefits Program funded the CINHC to replicate the work of the BASC in the Southern California region.

ADVANCE: Who makes up the CSA?

Waxman: To date, more than 2,000 healthcare educators from academia and service are members of the CSA. At this point, membership is free, but in 2011 a membership fee will be implemented.

Committees on research, scholarly writing, technology and scenario writing are very active. The CINHC feels the CSA will significantly impact nursing and healthcare education in the state. The ultimate goal is an interprofessional alliance that will set standards for simulation, share a common language and share best practice.

For more information, visit www.cinhc.org and click Simulation or contact Waxman at kt@cinhc.org.