Spunt Lecture at NLN Summit 2010

Nurse Educator from Washington State to Deliver Prestigious Talk on Simulation at NLNs Annual Education Summit

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New York, NY — September 10, 2010 — Suzan (Suzie) Kardong-Edgren, PhD, RN, an assistant professor at Washington State University College of Nursing in Spokane, has been selected to deliver the fourth annual Debra L. Spunt Lecture at the National League for Nursings 2010 Education Summit. The talk will take place on the final day, Saturday, October 2, of the four-day, sold-out conference at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. In keeping with the theme of the yearly Spunt Lecture, the title of Dr. Kardong-Edgrens presentation is "Research in Simulation: Why, Who, How, Now."

According to her presentation abstract, Dr. Kardong-Edgren notes that, "Simulation is the most exciting and disruptive technology to arise in nursing education in the past 40 years. Well-planned rigorous research studies will allow us to discover if this methodology is as powerful as we think it is."

With limited US funding for educational research, it takes courage, brains, and heart to pursue this line of inquiry in nursing academia today. Dr. Kardong-Edgren will summarize what existing research conveys about simulation, enumerate what research remains to be done, and then provide advice for lone faculty conducting simulation research and for building a simulation research team. In closing, Dr. Kardong-Edgren will report on several large scale studies underway worldwide to evaluate the use of simulation in nursing education.

Dr. Kardong-Edgren was the project director for the just completed landmark study, funded by Laerdal Medical, that provides evidence for how we can help nursing students and other health providers maintain their basic life support skills. She served as one of nine simulation experts for another joint Laerdal /National League for Nursing project — the development of the Simulation Innovation Resource Center (SIRC), a website of simulation resources and courses for nursing simulation.

Dr. Kardong-Edgren is the editor-in-chief of Clinical Simulation in Nursing, the online journal of the International Nursing Association of Clinical Simulation and Learning. She serves as a consultant to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing for a national multi-site study to evaluate the use of simulation in clinical learning; is chair of the Research Committee for the Society of Simulation in Healthcare; and is a member of the International Nursing Association of Clinical Simulation and Learning.

The Spunt Lecture

The Debra L. Spunt Lecture honors the lifelong contributions to excellence in nursing education, in particular leadership in the design, development, and implementation of simulation in nursing education of one outstanding colleague. In establishing the lectureship in 2007 with funding from Laerdal Medical Corporation, the NLN lauded the late Debra L. Spunt, DNP, MS, RN, FAAN as a "symbol of leadership and a true inspiration."

"Her unflagging commitment and dedication to excellence in nursing education distinguished her as a teachers teacher," said Dr. Beverly Malone, CEO of the NLN, in an announcement to the NLN Board of Governors in 2007.

Nationally and internationally recognized for her knowledge, expertise, and leadership in clinical simulation, especially the use of computerized patient simulators via clinical case scenarios to educate nurses and other health care providers, Dr. Spunt was responsible for the design, administration, and management of the University of Maryland School of Nursings 28 clinical simulation laboratories, considered the preeminent nursing student learning labs in the world. In this role, she collaborated with faculty on the integration of simulation into the nursing curriculum, and in doing so, helped prepare thousands of graduates to enter the field of nursing.

As a thoughtful participant in the plans for her legacy, Dr. Spunt created the Debra L. Spunt Clinical Simulation Practice and Research Endowment at the University of Maryland School of Nursing to support clinical simulation laboratory equipment.

Editors and reporters: For advance interview opportunities, or if you would like to attend the Spunt Lecture, please contact NLN chief communications officer Karen R. Klestzick at 212-812-0376, kklestzick@nln.org. During the week of the Education Summit, please contact Jane Calem Rosen, communications consultant to the NLN at 201-906-7339 or email janeruth@aol.com.

Dedicated to excellence in nursing, the National League for Nursing is the premier organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education offering faculty development, networking opportunities, testing services, nursing research grants, and public policy initiatives to its 32,000 individual and 1,200 institutional members.

Laerdal Medical, one of the worlds leading providers of health care solutions, is dedicated to helping save lives with products and services for simulation, airway management, immobilization, basic life support, advanced life support, patient care, self-directed learning, and medical education. Laerdal is pleased to serve all health care providers and educators, from the lay rescuer to the medical professional. For more information, visit www.laerdal.com.