JoAnne Slinn, RN and Simulation Educator, and I recently put together a how-to-guide for running an in situ sim session for COVID-19 preparedness. It is targeted for the many community hospitals within Interior Health, but can be adapted for use elsewhere. Find the case here COVID-19 Scenario & Guide for Hospital Preparedness.

Note: You need to register on www.sim-one.ca to download the case files, but it’s free.

The how-to-guide mainly came out of our learnings from running sessions at Kelowna General Hospital. It is certainly not comprehensive but can serve as a starting point.

Main take homes are: 1) Engage stakeholders thoroughly and early 2) Debrief can be lengthy and emotionally charged, plan ahead for that 3) Keep it systems focused 4) Put up signs to inform others that a sim event is occurring 5) Select action items and follow up on them.

Thanks to Alia Dh, Kate Hayman, and Soojin Yi for the original case material from emsimcases.com.

As we all know, the situation is rapidly evolving therefore be sure to reference your own local protocols and procedures if planning in situ sim exercises!

What is your team doing to prepare for COVID-19? Share any insights by commenting below!