Society for Simulation in Healthcare Grants Provisional Accreditation

The Society for Simulation in Healthcare recently granted the University of St. Thomas Center for Simulation provisional accreditation (accreditation is limited to the simulation program and the areas for which the program is accredited). The accreditation is applicable through December 31, 2025, at which time the Center for Simulation will either re-apply for provisional accreditation or apply for full accreditation.

Located in the Summit Classroom Building, the Center for Simulation provides St. Thomas nursing students the opportunity to learn and practice complex, hands-on care with simulated patients. Accreditation from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare is a testament to the quality of the education available to students who utilize this space to advance their education.

“We have proven that we have established a solid structure and processes for a health care simulation program that will enable our students to achieve their learning outcomes,” said Heather Anderson, assistant director of nursing simulation education in the Susan S. Morrison School of Nursing. “We have fully committed ourselves as a school to making this center a top-tier resource where students gain experience they can only get through simulation before entering the field.”

St. Thomas nursing students complete up to 50 percent of their clinical experiences in St. Thomas’ Center for Simulation. The accreditation from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare validates the quality of those experiences for students.

In traditional clinical environments, learning outcomes can sometimes be unpredictable. Through simulation, the clinical learning outcomes are intentional. As an accredited simulation center, clinical experiences provide students with high-quality debriefing and formative feedback to continuously improve their practice.

Although students have opportunities to master nursing skills throughout their programs, simulation learning also emphasizes communication, clinical judgment, prioritization, whole-person and culturally responsive care, and working within an interdisciplinary healthcare team.

“These additional skills emphasized in clinical simulation prepare them to be influencers of change in health care,” said Dr. Laura Ingalsbe, Bachelor of Science in Nursing program director and a simulation faculty member in the School of Nursing.

“It's a really exciting time to be a student,” said Anderson. “By utilizing simulation to bolster the academic experience, we know our students will be well prepared to face the challenges of nursing in the field.”