NLN Unveils Simulation Innovation Resource Center (SIRC)
Online E-learning Site Facilitating Integration of Simulation Technology into Nursing Education Curricula Funded by Laerdal Medical
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New York, NY – June 12, 2008 – The National League for Nursing has given simulation technology in nursing education a long-awaited boost with the creation of an online Simulation Innovation Resource Center (SIRC), a project inaugurated just over a year ago with funding by Laerdal Medical. Now, nurse educators from around the world can learn how to use simulation to promote and evaluate student learning, as well as dialogue with simulation experts and one another, by engaging with the resources on the SIRC website: http://sirc.nln.org.
“This latest NLN collaboration with Laerdal Medical, enabling nurse educators to develop expertise in simulation education methodologies, is a valuable contribution to our faculty development efforts and upgrades the standards in nursing education to account for state-of-the-art technology,” said NLN CEO Dr. Beverly Malone, RN, FAAN.
Among the features now available through SIRC are:
- Nine online courses with interactive exercises and video clips of simulation scenarios and interactive programs
- Public forums to encourage faculty sharing of information and experience with simulation and create opportunities for online mentoring; get tips for curriculum integration, creating and implementing simulations and conducting nursing education research
- A resource center offering information on funding opportunities, a directory of simulation researchers, venders of products used for simulation, and a list of simulation centers
- An annotated bibliography of simulation-related articles
- An events calendar detailing simulation-related professional gatherings, including academic conferences and trade shows
- Simulation news — announcements, bulletins, updates, noteworthy events worldwide affecting the simulation community
The SIRC project was launched in April 2007 with a team of nine individuals with expertise in using simulation in nursing education, under the direction of Pamela R. Jeffries, DNS, RN, FAAN, who had led an earlier NLN-Laerdal study involving simulation. Marcella T. Hovancsek, MSN, RN, served as assistant project director. Dr. Mary Anne Rizzolo, senior director of professional development at the NLN, provided oversight. The nine nurse educators represented varying types of nursing education programs to ensure that SIRC would address a broad range of nursing education needs related to development and implementation of simulation as a teaching, learning and evaluation tool. Input was also solicited from nurse educators in Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Japan, Norway and Scotland.
For more information and interview opportunities, please contact NLN chief communications officer, Karen R. Klestzick, at 212-812-0376 or kklestzick@nln.org.
Dedicated to excellence in nursing, the National League for Nursing is the premier organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education. The NLN offers faculty development, networking opportunities, testing services, nursing research grants, and public policy initiatives to its 27,000 individual and 1,200 institutional members who represent all types of nursing education programs.
Laerdal Medical, one of the world’s leading providers of healthcare solutions, serves all health care providers and educators, from the lay rescuer to the medical professional. For more information, contact: Marion Young, manager, PR & Media, 877-523-7325 ext. 4274; marion.young@laerdal.com.