Medical College of Wisconsin Pediatric Medical Education Simulation Program

The Simulation Program was founded in 2010 utilizing unoccupied patient care space (Center 4) with the vision of promoting excellence in pediatric healthcare through simulation experiences in a structured, safe learning environment using state of the art equipment. Due to patient care, safety, and educational benefits, the need for a dedicated simulation-based education space was identified. Through the visionary leadership of invested individuals, along with generous philanthropic support, the Children’s Wisconsin (CW) Simulation Center was created in 2013 and is inclusive of state-of-the-art technology and a thoughtful design conducive of a safe, effective, and innovative learning environment. Through the generous cumulative donation of Dairy Cares of Wisconsin, in 2018 the Simulation Center was renamed the CW Dairy Cares of Wisconsin Simulation Lab. In addition to the simulation rooms located in the Corporate Center there is a simulation room on Center 7 located in Children’s Wisconsin main hospital. Together Children’s Wisconsin and the Medical College of Wisconsin offers many simulation opportunities within the Children’s Wisconsin Dairy Cares of Wisconsin Simulation Lab.

Simulation is a generic term that refers to an artificial representation of a real-world process to achieve educational goals through experiential learning. Simulation-based education is defined as an educational activity that utilizes simulation technology to replicate real life clinical scenarios. Simulation for health professional education is being utilized more frequently and has routinely been used in other high-risk professions such as aviation and shipping industries. Health professional simulation allows for more efficient acquisition of clinical skills through deliberate practice, in addition to the more traditional apprentice style of learning. With simulation tools as an alternate to a real patient, a trainee can make mistakes and learn from them without the risk or fear of patient harm. Health professional simulation research reveals significant advantages including improved patient safety, quality of care, improved team performance and reduction of health care costs.

The simulated scenarios and manikins are highly realistic and engage the learners emotionally and intellectually, thus providing a unique learning experience wherein the “patient” actually talks, breathes, blinks, and moves similar to a real human patient. Simulation can be adapted to replicate any health care environment, such as an operating room, emergency department, or intensive care unit; and to accommodate any health care professional, including physicians, nurses, paramedics, and respiratory therapists.

Health professional training programs have to ensure that the learners are exposed to a variety of learning opportunities to obtain the vital knowledge and skills necessary to provide excellent and safe care. Clinical competencies including but not limited to: communication, teamwork, gathering a history, professionalism, ethical considerations, physical examination, procedural skills, diagnostic reasoning, resuscitation skills, critical thinking and decision making, simple to complex problem solving, organization and prioritization, and information technology skills are all components of the simulation-based education curriculum at the Children’s Wisconsin.

Advantages of Simulation Learning

• Health care simulation has four primary purposes—education, assessment, research, and health system integration with the goal of facilitating and promoting patient safety. Simulation education is a bridge between classroom learning and real-life clinical experiences. Advantages of simulation learning include:
  • Hands-on and critical thinking skill development including knowledge-in-action, procedures, decision-making, and effective communication.
  • Critical teamwork behaviors, such as managing a high workload and coordinating under stress, can be taught and practiced.
  • Allows for a safe learning environment with freedom to make mistakes and to learn from them without risk of harm to a real person.
  • By seeing the outcome of their mistakes, learners gain powerful insight into the consequences of their actions and the need to get it right.
  • Learning experiences can be customized to accommodate a range of learners from novices to experts.
  • Opportunity for detailed feedback and evaluation by training facilitators.

Who uses the Simulation Program space?

• Health care and allied health professionals who care for children.
• Patients and families

2023 Pediatric Simulation Program Dashboard (PDF)

2022 Pediatric Simulation Program Dashboard (PDF)

Children’s Wisconsin Dairy Cares Simulation Lab: Visit Children’s Connect for more information regarding services hosted within this space. 

Visit Children’s Connect for more information regarding how to schedule a session!

The Pediatric Simulation Program provides an institution specific Simulation Facilitator Training through the virtual learning platform, Moodle. For access, please contact us at simulationprogram@childrenswi.org On this learning platform we have various simulation resources for simulation-based education such as Simulation Development Template, Simulation Scenarios, links to Simulation Societies, and more!

We support simulation-based educational events customized to meet the needs of individual groups such as Pediatric Fellowship Programs, Pediatric Residency Programs, Nurse education, Multidisciplinary Team Mock Codes, Transport Team orientation and education days, National Bootcamps, and Caregiver simulation events.

• The Sadie Abell Senior Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Bootcamp
• Pediatric Resident Mock Codes and Workshops
• Caregiver Simulation Events
• Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship Simulation Events and Workshops

You can help support the Simulation Lab through your donation on the Children's Wisconsin website.