Simulation training guidance for palliative care settings

Project overview

Simulation is an educational approach that uses realistic scenarios to replicate clinical practice situations. It bridges the gap between theory and practice by allowing learners to apply knowledge, critical thinking, and decision-making skills in a safe learning environment.

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices worked with Kingston University to develop a programme of simulation-based teaching for hospice staff. During a pilot project the team delivered some ‘train the trainer’ days, followed by four simulation workshops for staff nurses and healthcare assistants. The workshops included different scenarios, including responding to a deteriorating patient.

Reflective diaries from participants showed that the simulation was very helpful, particularly in developing complex communication skills. 

The team presented the findings from the project at the Together for Short Lives Conference in 2022. This resulted in significant interest from children’s palliative care colleagues. The key question being asked was “how do you get started?”.

It was clear that educators in palliative care settings needed guidance on introducing simulation-based training in their settings.

Outcomes

The team developed an e-learning package to help palliative care educators understand the steps that are needed to set up and deliver effective simulation-based teaching. 

This package includes sections on:

• the simulation environment
• writing scenarios
• running a scenario
• debriefing.

The programme is suitable for both adult and children’s palliative care settings. 

Key facilitators

Funding from the Burdett Trust for Nursing enabled the hospice to buy a full body child manikin, and further Seedcorn funding was secured to develop the e-learning package.

Challenges and solutions

The initial funding from the Burdett Trust for Nursing was granted just before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, following lockdown, the cost of manikins doubled. To enable the pilot project to continue, Kingston University decided to give their time pro bono, so 100% of the funding could be used to purchase the simulator manikin.

Not all hospices have access to resources such as manikins or paid actors. However, simulation training can still take place using other methods. The e-learning package takes this into account and offers guidance for setting up simulation-based training regardless of the resources available.