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Nurse educators from both academia and staff development are committed to the development of safe and highly skilled health care practitioners. In response to calls in the nursing literature for reform in nursing education and practice (Benner, Sutphen, Leonard, & Day, 2010 ; Institute of Medicine, 2011 ), schools of nursing are incorporating more and more simulation into their programs at all educational levels to better prepare graduates to develop their competencies for entry into practice. Reform is necessary in confronting key issues in nursing, such as high turnover rates and the difficulty of transitioning from education to practice (Institute of Medicine, 2011 ). Staff development departments are challenged with addressing the entry of new graduates into the work force, updating the competencies of practicing nurses, and providing nurses with educational support to reduce turnover.
Simulation has been reported in the literature as beneficial to student learning. It improves students' confidence, knowledge, and satisfaction (Burns, O'Donnell, & Artman, 2010 ; Fountain & Alfred, 2009 ; Smith & Roehrs, 2009 ). Knowing how to develop simulations, integrate them into teaching, and assess simulated performance effectively is becoming a core role for educators in health care. However, for many educators, a knowledge and skill gap exists between the demand for simulation and their competence in developing and using simulation.
This article describes a unique three-step train-the-trainer model to prepare nurse educators to use simulation effectively. The three steps are champion identification, champion development, and champion integration. This model was used to prepare nursing faculty to integrate simulation across an undergraduate curriculum. It can be effectively applied in preparing staff development educators to incorporate simulation into their instruction. This article also addresses potential barriers to success and implications for nurse educators. The ease of this approach and its successful implementation support its usefulness for educators in hospitals, health care institutions, and a variety of environments beyond academia.
Need for Educator Development
The current health care environment requires effective methods to prepare nurses with the competencies needed to care for patients with complex needs and to produce quality outcomes. The stakes are high for educators in all settings to develop highly competent practitioners. Simulation provides a mechanism for learners to practice the application of specific knowledge,...