VHA SimLEARN
Director’s Corner: Expanding Innovation Through Simulation in 2022
By: Eric Bruns, MBA, Executive Director | SimLEARN
As we embark on a new year at SimLEARN, I thank everyone who has witnessed and contributed to our growth so far. In 2022, we continue to welcome everyone to be a part of our innovation and expansion journey to further impact Veteran healthcare through simulation technology. SimLEARN has evolved its identity, starting with our new acronym, the Simulation, Learning, Evaluation, Assessment, and Research Network as we merged into the Office of Discovery, Education, and Affiliate Networks (DEAN). SimLEARN now operates with a vision to be an indispensable asset to the enterprise and its partners by providing world class services to all Veterans through innovation and simulation education.
This year, we are looking forward to increasing activity in our National Simulation Center (NSC) with an ease in travel restrictions allowing for face-to-face classes, team conferences, and collaboration visits. SimLEARN is already moving these efforts forward with in-person simulation courses (i.e., Introduction to Clinical Simulation (ICS) which resumed last year). We also anticipate increased partnerships with internal and external institutions and will collaborate with the private sector to leverage each other’s expertise. Additionally, we will look to expand SimLEARN’s evaluation of emerging technologies that can be enhanced on 5G High Band Millimeter Wave (high band) networks with a special focus on immersive learning technology, such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality.
SimLEARN was proud to have four team members presenting at the 2022 International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare (IMSH) which was held in Los Angeles, California. IMSH is an international conference that explores the latest innovations and best practices in healthcare simulation. Bonnie Haupt hosted three presentations: Disseminating Best Practices during COVID-19, Assessment of Virtual and Simulation Modalities During Blood Collection, and No Room for Error: Keeping Veterans and Staff Safe, Comparison of Virtual vs Live Simulation Education.
Another IMSH presentation, Cardiac Toolbox: Creating a Diverse Platform for Learning, was led by Sherri Boisvert, Michelle Regragui, and Stacy Prosser. Helen Mills and Lygia Arcaro are expected to present a session for IMSH entitled Purposeful Mentorship: Collaborative Learning in Ultrasound Guided IV Access Training later in the year. The effort from each presenter contributes to the sharing and strengthening of SimLEARN’s mission to set the standard for healthcare with reliable, relevant, data-driven Simulation-based clinical education and tools, robust assessment, and research.
The phenomenal start to 2022 is surely an indication of the innovative, cutting-edge work that SimLEARN, will accomplish this year.
