LHSC Simulation Symposium
CSTAR hosted the inaugural LHSC Simulation Symposium on September 14th, 2023, at the Hellenic Centre. This forum provided an opportunity for promoting simulation education programs for problem solving and patient safety applications.
The LHSC Simulation Symposium allowed healthcare practitioners and clinicians to present real world reflections of the benefits of simulation education and training as well as novel ideas on how simulation can be applied and utilized in nontraditional ways for problem solving.
Discussion topics included:
Simulation in action-Reflections from applied simulation programs/projects
Benefits of Simulation – Patient and Staff Safety
The Impact of Simulation – Return on Investment
Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence in practice
The symposium’s format featured presentations from simulation experts and breakout sessions among attendees to foster collaboration and idea generation, group discussion and feedback. An important component of this symposium was to include participant interaction with industry booths to consider the range of simulation technologies currently available.
We anticipate many tangible benefits from this event including feedback on CSTAR operations and capabilities, opportunities for collaboration on new projects among internal and external partners all geared towards enhancing patient safety.
Emergency Management Scavenger Hunt & Mock Code Blue Sessions
CSTAR has been collaborating with departments throughout LHSC to improve the quality of patient care being delivered and to ensure adherence to best practice, while promoting staff and patient safety. Since 2020, CSTAR has been working with the Resuscitation Committee to carry out Mock Code Blues. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, infection, prevention and control restrictions halted the roll out of the training program. In 2022, there has been a resurgence of the program with a number of sessions being carried out during the last fiscal year. The purpose of each training session was to simulate a code blue scenario which allowed participants a unique and immersive learning experience to increase their knowledge, skills and attitudes towards responding to a code blue emergency. It is expected that this activity will continue to promote interprofessional education and collaborative practice which has been identified as significant components to improving patient care. Additionally, participation and practice utilizing simulation-based education has been known to heighten awareness to medical errors and errors in clinical practice thereby reducing negative patient outcomes.
CSTAR has also collaborated with Emergency Management to deliver training on emergency codes. The goal of this activity is to deliver the training across all departments throughout LHSC. Using a guided Scavenger Hunt checklist, staff members were prompted to locate various items deemed essential during emergency codes for example fire pull station and fire extinguisher if a code red (fire emergency is called).
Accelerated Critical Care Nursing (ACCN) Program
CSTAR, in collaboration with Mohawk College Centre for Professional Development, facilitated the Simulation Practicum for the Accelerated Critical Care Program on 25th March and 22nd April 2023 where learners completed two eight-hour face to face skills labs.
Mohawk College's Accelerated Critical Care Nursing program was developed to address the critical care nursing shortage in hospitals and improve overall quality of care. The program was designed to provide training opportunities for existing critical care nurses upskilling between levels of care, newly hired nurses in critical care positions, and current staff nurses with an interest in moving into critical care, and is delivered as a full-time, accelerated 9-week program with an integrated ECG/EKG pre-learn module.
The innovative design combines online learning and clinical experience through 9 weeks of self-directed, asynchronous virtual learning, complemented with up to 190-hours of integrated clinical experience allowing students to integrate new knowledge into their critical care practice on an ongoing basis.
During their time at CSTAR Learners had the opportunity to participate in Head-to-Toe Assessments, Troubleshooting Critical Care Scenarios, Transfer of Accountability and the importance of Critical Care Communication, Equipment Demonstrations and Practice, Central Venous Catheters, Mock Code Simulations, Intubation, and Airway Management, and BCLS/ACLS review among other topics.
