Director's Corner

A New Chapter for SimLEARN

One of the most exciting parts of reading a good book is the moment you advance to a thrilling new chapter. The Simulation Learning, Evaluation, Assessment, and Research Network (SimLEARN) has seen phenomenal growth in this past year and is now thrilled to turn the page to our next chapter. I am proud to announce a huge piece of SimLEARN’s evolution: the rebranding of the VHA National Simulation Center to the National Simulation Validation, Evaluation, and Testing (SimVET) Center. The new name reflects a more accurate description of the purpose of the center, which encompasses more than just simulation. Moving into this new fiscal year, SimLEARN will focus on several key initiatives and objectives. We will continue piloting and running SimVET, an emerging innovative model and service that test drives health care solutions (e.g., clinical software applications and medical devices) in a realistic simulated clinical environment where failures can be corrected and mitigated prior to acquisition and deployment across the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and in VA Medical Centers.

• South Texas Celebrates Healthcare Simulation Week 2022
• Utilizing 3D Printing to Optimize Mock Code Training in Simulation
• Suicidal Patient on Hospital Grounds: A Simulation Exercise to Assess Hospital Response
• New Nutrition-Focused Physical Examination Simulation Rotation Offered at the James A. Haley VA Hospital and Clinics
• Intraosseous Vascular Access – Building the Team
• Stop, Drop, Code: Learning Together to Enhance Veteran Care
• ILEAD To Be New VHA Learning and Development Organization
• Taking Implicit Bias Out of Interprofessionalism Through Clinical Simulation
• New Slice Centers

South Texas Celebrates Healthcare Simulation Week 2022

Pictured from left to right (Judy Miller, Dr. Bonnie Haupt, Dr. Sui Unzelman, Lt. Col. Staley (sitting), DoD ALS/BLS/PALS team members and Scott Hunter, far right)

The South Texas Veterans Health Care Systems (STVHCS) Simulation Center enabled over 300 people to participate in Healthcare Simulation Week by celebrating the health care simulation field and the professionals that work in it. The week featured fun and interactive showcases, luncheons and even an escape room.

VA is transforming the way Veterans receive and access their health care through virtual and augmented reality – collectively called extended reality, or XR. On December 15, from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., the Office of Healthcare Innovation and Learning (OHIL) will host the first-ever Veteran eXpeRience (VXR) at the NSC in Orlando, Florida. Veterans are invited to attend throughout the day to experience these immersive technologies.

Utilizing 3D Printing to Optimize Mock Code Training in Simulation

Members of the James A. Haley VA simulation faculty realized the importance of choosing the best 3D printer for their needs and their budget. For more on how they researched and decided what was the best option click below.

Suicidal Patient on Hospital Grounds: A Simulation Exercise to Assess Hospital Response

The Iowa City VA Health Care System conducted a simulation exercise to assess how they would respond to a suicidal patient on hospital grounds. Their success was due in large part to extensive planning and communication between the hospital, local officials and hospital employees. 

New Nutrition-Focused Physical Examination Simulation Rotation Offered at the James A. Haley VA Hospital and Clinics

For registered dieticians, knowing how to palpate muscle and fat, and conduct examinations to search for potential micronutrient deficiencies in patients is vital. Registered Dieticians at the James A. Haley VA Hospital and Clinics collaborated with the James A. Haley Advanced Simulation Center for rotations that helped prepare them for bedside rotations.

Intraosseous Vascular Access – Building the Team

Simulation education can help create a safe environment for practiced patient care. Continue reading to learn more about how the Milwaukee Simulation Center’s Intraosseous (IO) needle training courses helped vascular access registered nurses learn proper intravenous techniques.

Stop, Drop, Code: Learning Together to Enhance Veteran Care

Simulation in a controlled environment is helpful to nurse practitioner residencies. The scenarios are especially helpful when residents are taught how to evaluate patient conditions in a real-world setting and act quickly to provide care.

ILEAD To Be New VHA Learning and Development Organization

VA employees will gain new opportunities to manage their careers through training services and learning opportunities via the newly created Institute for Learning, Education and Development (ILEAD). The center opens in fiscal year 2023 and is comprised of the VHA Employee Education System (EES) and Healthcare Leadership Talent Institute (HLTI).

Taking Implicit Bias Out of Interprofessionalism Through Clinical Simulation

Norma Davis’ work to integrate clinical simulation with diversity, equitability and inclusivity sheds light on how combatting implicit bias helps create successful outcomes for diverse Veterans. Read more below as Norma shares her efforts to eliminate implicit bias in Veteran care through clinical simulation.

New Slice Centers

The SimLEARN Innovation Center for Education (SLICE) is proud to announce that the following six sites have become cells:

• Carl Vinson VAMC (Dublin, GA)
• Central Virginia HCS (Richmond, VA)
• William S. Middleton Memorial VAMC (Madison, WI)
• Carl T. Hayden VAMC (Phoenix, AZ)
• Washington DC VAMC
• Lexington VA HCS (Lexington, KC)