A Nurse’s Journey with Simulation Training
At HIROC, having the opportunity to hear voices from across the healthcare system is at the cornerstone of our commitment to share valuable knowledge, all with the goal of scaling lessons learned.
Our recent spotlight on The Ottawa Hospital’s (TOH) Simulation Patient Safety Program (SPSP) received a ton of interest, so we are following it up with the perspective of Jennifer Dale-Tam, Corporate Simulation Educator and Nursing Lead Instructor of the program. Jennifer shared insights about her journey in the program coming from a nursing background, the benefits of simulation training, and the importance of hearing interprofessional healthcare perspectives.
What is your role in the program as the Nursing Lead Instructor?
I’ve been a part of the SPSP program since 2016 as a nurse educator facilitating and debriefing in-situ simulations for the inpatient surgery and ambulatory care programs.
Recently, I have formally taken on the role of Simulation Educator and lead SPSP Nursing Instructor shared between The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) and University of Ottawa Skills and Simulation Center (uOSSC). I will continue to be the nursing voice within the program but will also collaborate more consistently with other health professions like respiratory therapists or physiotherapists to run simulations with those professions and build simulation facilitation capacity within other health professions. In alignment with the Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best PracticeTM it is optimal to have facilitators and debriefers in an interprofessional simulation program from different healthcare professions like nurses and physicians.
In your opinion, why is simulation training important?
Simulation based education is the pinnacle of the application of knowledge and skills previously learned by the health professions. It provides space to explore and take risks without harming actual patients. It prepares all health professions to practice, communicate and function as a team to provide safe, quality patient care.
From a systems perspective, it serves to test protocols and procedures before their implementation in the clinical environment, ensuring they are appropriate and not harmful for patient care. It’s also in alignment with creating a patient safety culture within TOH.
What drew you to simulation training and where does your passion for it originate?
That is a long story, but I will try to keep it short. In my mid-teens I trained to be a lifeguard and swimming instructor which uses simulation-based education, and I loved it as a participant. I went on to become a trainer for swimming instructors and junior lifeguard type courses while I went to university and facilitated scenarios for the learners in the courses.
Fast forward 12 years (circa 2010) while training to be a RACE (Rapid Assessment of Critical Events) nurse I had the opportunity to attend a simulation course at uOSSC as a learner, and I became hooked! I loved the theater-based simulation and the debrief afterwards because it connected so many dots for me as a learner applying the skills I needed to be a RACE nurse in simulated spaces before I went to actual clinical practice. I knew I wanted to be an educator at that time and would want to provide the same opportunities for my learners.
Later, three years into being a nurse educator, a colleague, Glenn Barton, directed me to my first simulation debriefing course which then led to a connection with Dr. Glenn Posner and the SPSP program. Through mentorship from Posner, I started facilitating in-situ simulations on my own.
Over the last 10 years I have completed a Fellowship in Simulation from uOSSC and the Department of Innovation in Medical Education at the University of Ottawa and became credentialled nationally and internationally as a simulation educator. All of this is because I want to create simulation experiences for my learners that are grounded in rigorous simulation methodologies so that they can practice their skills before moving into patient care. This is my small way to help create safe healthcare practitioners who will work with patients at some of the most vulnerable times of their lives.
You mentioned you’re involved in a new program. Can you tell us more about that, including what it’s called and its purpose?
I’d really like to highlight the TOH Nursing Simulation program. It’s likely the largest hospital-based nursing simulation program in Canada. We have 50 nurse educators trained to deliver simulation-based programs at the corporate and clinical unit level. The purpose is to onboard new nurses and provide continuing professional development opportunities. At our highest intake we had 900 nurses come through our program in a year, but we usually have about 500-600 annually. We could not run such a large program without the support of the uOSSC.
One of our crowning achievements is being the first hospital in the world to receive endorsement from the International Nurses Association of Clinical Simulation and Learning for grounding our programs in the Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best PracticeTM in 2022. At the time of this interview, there is only one other hospital-based system to receive this so far. This initiative was led by me and the Manager of Nursing Education, Prudy Menard.
A second achievement of this program was receiving the 2022 SIM Innovator Award (sponsored by HIROC) at Simulation Expo, Canada’s national simulation conference. Needless to say, we are very proud of our program.
Now that nursing has an established simulation program, it is providing the foundation for expansion to involve other health professions. I have the privilege to lead many aspects of this as the new Corporate Simulation Educator. The main purpose of this role is to advance interprofessional simulation capacity and the safety-quality care goals of the TOH 5 Year Education Strategy. Being the nursing lead for the SPSP program will also help advance this goal.
Nurses are so critical to the healthcare system as well as driving safety. What advice do you have for nurses on staying the course, or how they can leverage their expertise to drive impact at their organizations or in the community?
First, find a topic or practice area in nursing that sings to you and jump in all the way even if you’re scared. We grow when we take risks. I’ve been very fortunate to find my passion as a simulation educator.
Secondly, become a lifelong learner in that area to develop the expertise. This is how we earn the trust and respect of our learners, peers, and leaders. Nursing and all health professions require ongoing professional development to remain current and safe in our practice. Be brave to ask leaders for opportunities but be prepared to provide sound rationale for the why. Do your research before, sometimes this is called the “elevator pitch.” The answer may be ‘no’ at that time, but don’t let that discourage you. There are likely many factors that you are not aware of for that answer. Be diligent, respectful, kind, trustworthy and professional as you continue to pursue what you are after.
Lastly, frame failures as an opportunity for improvement. The journey to success is not a straight one, there are many ups and downs, sometimes heartbreak along the way, but if one holds true to the course and their values, through perseverance you will likely reach your goal.
Can you share a piece of advice for others in healthcare looking to start or contribute to similar programs like simulation training?
Seek out formal or informal training programs for simulation-based education. There are many in Canada from organizations like Simulation Canada, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing. Looking for a mentor in the area helps too.
Developing one’s simulation facilitation skills is one of the foundational aspects of simulation pedagogy. There is research coming out that learners who have participated in simulation scenarios that are facilitated by untrained faculty may develop PTSD-like symptoms even though that is not the intent of the facilitator. Participating in simulation can be scary, some may see it as a test or threat to their professional identity. A trained facilitator will put strategies in place to create that safe space for learners to take risks and see the associated outcomes before taking it into clinical practice.
Why is interprofessional collaboration important, both in these programs and in general?
Historically, much of our training is done in silos and research is showing this does not provide the best outcomes for the patient. All health professions have a unique body of knowledge, and many a particular philosophy when it comes to patient care, but we need to understand each other and how to collaborate to achieve optimal patient outcomes. This is the hallmark of interprofessional education and collaboration. We will still need to continue to develop our own professional bodies of knowledge, but we need to integrate interprofessional education as well from the beginning to have the best outcomes for patients.
Watch our interview with Jennifer Dale-Tam!
We spoke with Jennifer to learn more about the program, leadership, and what drove her to nursing in the video below.
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It was great to talk to you, Jennifer! Thank you for sharing your insights with HIROC. Hearing different voices is key to a safer, more collaborative healthcare system.
For those in the Ottawa area who want to learn more about simulation training or this program, check out TOH’s Ottawa Patient Safety Conference 2024 on October 28. A group from the program, including Jennifer Dale-Tam, will host an interactive talk at the conference.
If your organization has an initiative that’s supporting a culture of safety, let us know! We’d love to share your story. Reach out to us at [email protected].
By Gillian Brandon-Hart, Communications & Marketing Specialist, HIROC