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Nursing Simulation Resources Identified in Ohio

Through a recent survey spearheaded by The Center for Health Affairs, the leading advocate for Northeast Ohio hospitals, nursing simulation resources have been identified for future simulation planning and program efforts throughout Ohio.

In practice settings such as hospitals, simulation is used to provide real-life experiences in a safe manner to both newly graduated and seasoned nurses. With an impending nursing workforce shortage that is projected to be felt in 2014 in Ohio, it has become increasingly important to quantify nursing simulation as a recognized type of clinical site training as schools work to expand their ability to enroll and educate more pre-licensure nursing students.

Since no other comprehensive source of information existed in Ohio, a survey of hospitals and academic programs was determined to be the best option to gain a clearer picture of the use of nursing simulation in the state.

Data was collected over a four-month period in 2011 using survey tools with the permission of the Florida Center for Nursing that were adapted for use in Ohio. A total of 175 colleges of nursing and 112 hospitals throughout Ohio were contacted with a response rate of 37 percent (65 schools of nursing) and 38 percent (43 hospitals) respectively.

As a result of the nursing simulation survey, the following key findings and implications were identified:

• Nursing simulation is prevalent in Ohio.
• The use of a full-time simulation coordinator is common.
• Hospitals and schools employ a variety of simulation equipment.
• Nursing simulation centers are used mainly on weekdays, with minimal weekend usage.
• Simulation is commonly used to teach health assessment skills.
• Organizations that use simulation most commonly write their own scenarios.
• Expansion of nursing simulation is in the works.
• There is interest in working together on the usage of simulation.
• Hospitals and schools would use a regional collaborative simulation center, if available.
• Hospitals and schools have their own needs with respect to simulation.

To read the full background, objectives, comprehensive list of the nursing simulation survey’s key findings and implications, download Simulation Resources in Ohio.

Funding for this initiative was provided by The Center for Health Affairs. The Center would like to acknowledge the following founding members of the Ohio Network for Nursing Workforce (ONNW) for their contributions to this nursing simulation initiative:

• The Greater Cincinnati Health Council
• Licensed Practical Nurse Association of Ohio (LPNAO)
• NEONI, The Center for Health Affairs workforce initiative
• Nursing Institute of West Central Ohio
• Ohio Board of Nursing (OBN)
• Ohio Hospital Association (OHA)
• Ohio League for Nursing (OLN)
• Ohio Nurses Association (ONA)
  Ohio Organization of Nurse Executives (OONE)