WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 27, 2019 – Supported by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, a worldwide group of leaders in the healthcare simulation community have formulated the Healthcare Simulationist Code of Ethics. This Code of Ethics establishes a set of values to support the quality and ethical practice of healthcare simulation, and more broadly, moves the specialty yet another step forward as a professionally recognized field of practice in healthcare.

Already, 23 organizations have adopted the Healthcare Simulationist Code of Ethics.

Healthcare simulation is a technique that creates a situation or environment to allow persons to experience a representation of a real healthcare event for the purpose of practice, learning, evaluation, testing, or to gain understanding of systems or human actions. It is also defined as the application of a simulation activity to training, assessment, research, or systems integration toward healthcare quality and patient safety. Modalities used in simulation include human-based simulation, such as standardized and simulated patients, and technology-based simulation, such task trainers, full body manikins (mannequins), and virtual and augmented reality.

“As healthcare simulation has become increasingly identifiable as a defined profession within healthcare that has specific parameters, we felt it necessary to both support and further the process by unifying around a code of ethics,” said Christine Park, Professor of Anesthesiology and Associate Head for Learning and Innovation at the University of Illinois at Chicago and a former president of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. “The Healthcare Simulationist Code of Ethics is designed to assert aspirational values at the highest, general level for all healthcare simulation professionals.”

The Healthcare Simulationist Code of Ethics asserts key aspirational values important to the practice of simulation:

  • Integrity
  • Transparency
  • Mutual Respect
  • Professionalism
  • Accountability
  • Results Orientation

“This a transformative moment for healthcare simulation,” said KT Waxman, President of the Society of Simulation in Healthcare. “Every day, health care simulationists operate with dedication to ethics, patient safety, efficiency and demonstrated effectiveness. Codifying that behavior, and asking everyone in our field to stand behind it, is essential to our growth and recognition from the wider healthcare community.”

The Healthcare Simulation Code of Ethics is available for free via download and can be translated and annotated for specific purposes.

Work on the Code of Ethics began at a summit in January 2018 led by Park, bringing together a global working group of healthcare simulationists. Delegates represented six continents, a breadth of professions and simulation practices, and leadership from simulation organizations and industry partners.

The Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH) seeks to improve performance and reduce errors in healthcare through the use of simulation. The purpose of SSH is to serve a global community of practice enhancing the quality of healthcare. Established in 2004 by professionals using simulation for education, testing, and research in healthcare; SSH (www.ssih.org) is a 501(c)3 organization with more than 4,000 members from over 55 countries. The mission of SSH is to: (1) serve our members by fostering education, professional development, and the advancement of research and innovation; (2) Promote the profession of healthcare simulation through standards and ethics; and (3) champion healthcare simulation through advocating sharing, facilitating, and collaborating.