Jennifer Macauley (University of Toronto); Linda Nursdorfer (UHN); Leasa Knechtel (Sunnybrook)

A two day course using high fidelity simulation was developed to advance critical care competencies for experienced Registered Nurses in critical care. The course aimed to advance and challenge their clinical practice knowledge, improve critical decision making and provide access to interprofessional experts in critical care.

Didactic pedagogy and high fidelity simulations were combined with interactive and reflective sessions to meet the course aims. Scenario development and simulation planning were developed through clinical partnerships with university-affiliated clinical and pedagogical experts, capitalizing on combined knowledge and expertise. Scenarios focused on sepsis, cardiac and neurological crises.

In developing the scenarios, the interprofessional team’s purpose was to a) facilitate continuing competency in critical care nursing and b) develop complex and multi-dimensional scenarios at an advanced clinical level. The resulting complexity in scenario development challenged the participants to articulate their practice and rationale for decision making. To facilitate this process, the simulations were supported by prior didactic interactive sessions given by clinical experts. This delivery of didactic pedagogy combined with the simulations supported the development of care decisions based on actual diagnostic information.

Formal evaluations are overwhelmingly positive indicating that for 95% of participants, expectations related to content and process were either met or exceeded. In addition, all participants would recommend this course to others.