Corporate leadership training: Value added for your simulation center

Academic leaders in nursing have invested vast resources such as dedicated space, technology, and facilitator education to support their simulation centers. In order to maximize return on investment, one school of nursing and health sciences conducted external leadership training for corporate business mid-level managers utilizing the expertise of their certified simulation educators and their accredited simulation center. The simulation team developed nine scenarios that focused on common corporate workplace challenges. Actors who would normally portray the role of simulated 'patients' were reimagined as standardized 'corporate executives and employees,' and several communication tools from the TeamSTEPPS (R) curriculum were adapted for use in the corporate setting. These tools were explained in a brief didactic and discussion format prior to use in simulations. Learners participated in simulation scenarios and debriefing exercises using several evidence-based methods. Details related to scenario development, standardized patient training, training experience design, large group simulations, cost development and recommendations for success are provided. Executive evaluations of the experience were so positive that the leadership training has been expanded to other external organizations.