Simulation-Based Education in Healthcare Professions

Simulation-based education (SBE) harnesses interactive, learner-centred methodologies to replicate clinical scenarios in a controlled environment. SBE spans a continuum of fidelity, from low-fidelity task trainers to high-fidelity manikins, standardised patients and immersive virtual reality (VR) platforms. It enables the deliberate practice of clinical, procedural and non-technical skills such as communication and teamwork without risk to patients. Interprofessional and multidisciplinary design frameworks further enhance realism and collaboration. Empirical evidence demonstrates SBE’s capacity to improve knowledge retention, clinical reasoning and psychomotor performance, as well as to reduce error rates in high-stakes settings. Technological advances—including VR, augmented reality and e-simulation—promise greater accessibility, scalability and cost-effectiveness, particularly in remote or resource-limited contexts. As curricula evolve to meet the demands of complex healthcare delivery, SBE has become integral to competency-based education, offering standardised assessment and feedback opportunities. The global adoption of SBE underscores its role in harmonising training outcomes, fostering patient safety and addressing workforce development challenges across diverse healthcare systems.

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Simulation-Based Education in Healthcare Professions publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in simulation-based education in healthcare professions across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Fidelity: The degree to which a simulation replicates real-world clinical conditions, ranging from low-fidelity task trainers to fully immersive high-fidelity manikins.

Standardised patient: A trained actor who consistently portrays a clinical scenario to allow learners to practise communication, history taking and physical examination skills.

Virtual reality simulation: A computer-generated, interactive three-dimensional environment that immerses learners in simulated clinical scenarios.

E-simulation: Digital or web-based simulation activities designed to replicate clinical decision-making and procedural tasks, often accessible remotely.

Debriefing: A structured reflective discussion following a simulation session, aimed at consolidating learning objectives and addressing performance gaps.

References

1. Multidisciplinary Design–Based Multimodal Virtual Reality Simulation in Nursing Education: Mixed Methods Study. JMIR Medical Education (2024).
2. Teamwork matters: team situation awareness to build high-performing healthcare teams, a narrative review. British Journal of Anaesthesia (2024).
3. Scenario-Based e-Simulation Design for Global Health Education: Theoretical Foundation and Practical Recommendations. Journal of Medical Internet Research (2023).
4. Effectiveness of simulation-based nursing education depending on fidelity: a meta-analysis. BMC Medical Education (2016).