The Organization for Associate Degree Nursing (OADN) is pleased to announce that the OADN Simulation Committee has garnered the prestigious 2024 Service in the Field of Virtual Simulation Award from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH). SSH’s Virtual Simulation Section presented the award during the 2024 International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare (IMSH) Conference held in San Diego, California.

This award recognizes those who have modeled dedication, investment, and contributions that have facilitated the utilization of Virtual Simulations. The OADN Simulation Committee, known for its commitment to advancing simulation education in nursing, has been recognized for its outstanding service and creation of the OADN Virtual Simulation Reviews, a partnership between OADN and Unbound Medicine.

“OADN is deeply honored that the committee’s innovative initiatives, dedication to excellence, and tireless efforts to enhance simulation practices in nursing education have earned them this esteemed accolade,” said OADN President Karen LaMartina, Ph.D., MSN, RN. “The OADN Board of Directors congratulates the Simulation Committee for this well-deserved honor. As OADN celebrates its 40th anniversary, this award reinforces the organization’s commitment to shaping the future of nursing education and embracing advancements in simulation technology and practices.”

“At the height of the pandemic, the OADN Simulation Committee’s founding members recognized the critical need for virtual simulation options while clinical learning experiences were drastically reduced or completely unavailable,” added OADN Chief Executive Officer Rick García, Ph.D., RN, CCM, FAAOHN, FNYAM, FAADN. “The committee developed a systematic review of virtual simulation options using the Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice (HSSOBP™), reviewed numerous products, and embarked on a campaign to educate nurse faculty on these standards and their application to virtual simulation products. We are all deeply proud of the committee’s accomplishments and record of service.”

OADN Simulation Committee Chair Janeen Berndt, DNP, RN, CNE, CHSE, ACNS-BC, expressed gratitude for the recognition, stating, “Receiving the 2024 Service in the Field of Virtual Simulation Award is a testament to the hard work and passion of our committee members. Early on, the committee decided that the resources we created should be broadly accessible to all nurse faculty who may need them. We remain dedicated to building nurse educators’ capacity to assess and utilize virtual simulation options for nursing programs.”

“The Virtual Simulation Reviews our committee developed were the first of their kind in health professions education,” noted committee member Elizabeth Robison, EdD, MSN, RN, CNE, CHSE-A. “The broad need for this resource created a platform for the committee’s other educational activities, including numerous webinars and conference presentations. Together, we have educated hundreds of faculty on the importance of the HSSOBP™ in all simulation modalities, as well as other critical issues such as diversity, equity, & inclusion in simulation and aligning simulation tools to the Next Generation NCLEX© exam.”

For more information about the OADN Simulation Committee and its initiatives, please visit the OADN Resource Library.