Skip to content

Glossary of Key Terms

This glossary provides definitions for key terms commonly used in healthcare simulation:

  • Accreditation: The process by which an organization or program is evaluated against established standards to ensure quality, safety, and adherence to best practices.

  • Assessment: The process of evaluating learner performance, knowledge, skills, or competencies using various methods and tools.

  • Augmented Reality (AR) Simulation: Simulation technology that overlays digital information, such as images, videos, or text, onto the real-world environment, enhancing the user's perception and interaction with the physical world.

  • Competency: The ability of an individual to perform a specific task or skill to a predetermined standard of proficiency.

  • Curriculum: A structured framework outlining the educational objectives, content, and activities of a training program or course.

  • Debriefing: A structured discussion following a simulation session in which participants reflect on their actions, experiences, and performance, with the goal of promoting learning and improving future practice.

  • Fidelity: The degree to which a simulation accurately reproduces the characteristics of the real world, including physical, psychological, and environmental factors.

  • Interprofessional Education (IPE): Educational experiences that involve learners from multiple healthcare professions collaborating and learning together to improve patient care and outcomes.

  • Manikin: An anatomical model of the human body used for medical training, simulation, or anatomical study.

  • Mixed Reality (MR) Simulation: Simulation technology that combines elements of both virtual reality and augmented reality, allowing users to interact with virtual objects and environments in the real world.

  • Scenario: A scripted sequence of events or activities used in simulation to create a realistic clinical situation for learners to navigate and respond to.

  • Simulation: A technique used to replace or amplify real experiences with guided experiences that evoke or replicate aspects of the real world in a fully interactive manner.

  • Simulation-Based Learning: An educational approach that uses simulation techniques to facilitate experiential learning, skill acquisition, and clinical reasoning in a safe and controlled environment.

  • Simulation Center: A dedicated facility equipped with simulation technology and resources for the purpose of healthcare education, training, and research.

  • Simulation Technology Specialist: An individual responsible for the setup, operation, and maintenance of simulation equipment and resources.

  • Standardized Patient (SP): An individual trained to portray a patient in a consistent and standardized manner for the purpose of healthcare education and assessment.

  • Task Trainer: A simulation device designed to teach and assess specific clinical skills or procedures, often focusing on a single task or skill.

  • Virtual Reality (VR) Simulation: Simulation technology that uses computer-generated environments to simulate real-life scenarios, allowing users to interact with and manipulate virtual objects and environments.