Pediatric Human Simulation Education (HSE)
The KidSIM program works to provide learners surrogate clinical experience with pediatric patients in as close to a ‘real life’ situation as possible through the use of high-fidelity mannequins as well as teaching space that mimics the clinical setting as closely as possible.
About
The KidSIM Pediatric Simulation Program based out of the Alberta Children’s Hospital has been training health care professionals both as individuals and as part of interprofessional teams since October of 2005. Since that time, the KidSIM Program has trained over 80,000 learners and become a world-class program known internationally for delivering top-notch educational programs and conducting cutting-edge research. Additionally, KidSIM provides education and support to help families, schools, and other non-clinical care providers to be better prepared for looking after children with high-risk medical situations that might occur outside the healthcare setting.
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Vision
High quality healthcare for all children and families.
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Mission
Promote and measure high quality interprofessional pediatric education by:
- Ensuring optimal accessibility to this education tool
- Providing leadership and excellence in academic delivery and evaluation of simulation-based education
- Developing and mentoring high quality simulation educators
- Innovating and disseminating best practice
- Supporting quality and patient safety initiatives
- Conducting high quality simulation-based research
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Values
- Respect
- Supportive
- Honesty
- Integrity
- Collaborative
- Innovative
The KidSIM-ASPIRE (Assessing Simulation in Pediatrics: Improving Resuscitation Events) Simulation Research Program at the Alberta Children’s Hospital was established to bring together an interprofessional group of Alberta-based leaders in clinical care, education, human factors, engineering, computer science and psychology interested in improving the delivery of healthcare to sick infants and children. The goal of the program is to conduct innovative, high-quality, simulation-based research to inform healthcare providers, administrators and families of best practices, which will optimize pediatric patient outcomes from illness. In our collaborative research model, we also aim to facilitate the academic growth of young investigators and trainees by exposing them to established mentors both locally and worldwide and nurturing the skills necessary to become successful researchers. The KidSIM-ASPIRE Program has become the most published simulation research program in the world.
KidSIM ASPIRE Research Pillars
- Resuscitation & Cardiac Arrest: Develop and evaluate novel techniques and strategies for improving resuscitative care of pediatric patients suffering from cardiac arrest.
- Artificial Intelligence: Develop and evaluate the use of artificial intelligence to improve clinical skills training and assessment.
- Return on Investment: Assess and evaluate the cost effectiveness of simulation-based training in healthcare.
- Quality Improvement & Patient Safety: Design and evaluate simulation-based interventions to enhance patient safety and improve patient outcomes.
The KidSIM Center is a 3,600 square foot facility and is the largest pediatric simulation facility in Canada.
Simulation Rooms: Four simulation suites, each equipped with it’s own separate control room. The wall between labs 3 and 4 can be raised for large scale scenarios or large groups.
Debrief Rooms: Two debriefing rooms, fully equipped with an audiovisual learning management system to view live or recorded sessions. The dividing wall can be elevated to create one large teaching space that accommodates up to 25 individuals.
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Simulators
High Fidelity mannequins
- Adult SimMan 3G
- Sim Junior x2
- Gaumard Child x3
- Gaumard Toddler x3
- Gaumard Infant x2
- Laerdal Infant x2
- Gaumard Premie
- Laerdal 1 Year Old
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Task Trainers
The following equipment are to be booked and used within the lab setting ONLY:
Task Trainers (hospital specific vs department specific)
- Adult intubation heads
- Pediatric intubation heads
- Infant intubation heads
- Gaumard premie Annie trainer
- Cricothyroidotomy trainer
- Lumbar Puncture infant trainers
- Chest Tube Trainer
- CPR Laerdal Adult trainers
- CPR Laerdal Infant trainers
- ECLS trainer
- 1 Year Old Task Trainer
- 5 Year Old Task Trainer
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Equipment
The following equipment are for use within the lab setting ONLY to replicate real environments without using equipment from the hospital. NOT FOR PATIENT USE.
- IV pumps
- Syringe pumps
- Defibrillators
- Crash carts
- Medication carts
- Airway carts
- Rhythm generators
- Bed/Stretcher/crib
- Bear hugger warmer
- Isolation Carts
- Some disposable/re-usable medical supplies
- Functional headwalls for medical gases
- Functional headwalls for suction
- IV Fluid Warmer
- CMAC
- Workstations on Wheels
- Blenders
- NeoPuff
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AV System
The Center is fully integrated with the BLine learning management system and each of the teaching spaces in the KidSIM Center is outfitted with an advanced multimedia system to be able to enhance the education experience and offers the possibility of video recording and live viewing for both research and quality assurance purposes. Telehealth capability is also available in the two debriefing rooms.
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Mobile AV Unit
The KidSIM Program offers the ability to record high quality audio and video in-situ or off-site with the Mobile BLine Sim Capture Unit.
Education
The KidSIM Pediatric Simulation Program offers a Fellowship in Simulation Education and Research in collaboration with the Medical Education Specialization Program at the University of Calgary. The overall aim of this fellowship is to prepare the candidate for an academic career as a simulation educator, with advanced knowledge and skills in the delivery of simulation-based education and research. The program aims to foster a solid grounding in the theory and practice of simulation via interactive teaching on various elements of simulation in education, research, and integration into systems, quality, and patient safety programs.
The KidSIM program offers an elective rotation for residents and fellows with an interest in developing skills and experience in simulation-based education. Residents will mentor and train with KidSIM’s simulation education and research experts, develop and run their own scenarios, as well as participate in any faculty development courses, journal clubs, workshops or visiting professor rounds that occur during their rotation.
KidSIM is an internationally recognized leader in simulation-based faculty development courses. The Advanced Skills for Simulation Educators and Teachers (ASSET) program introduces participants to all of the concepts of simulation, as well as provides practical experience in the delivery of simulation-based education. KidSIM offers a wide breadth of simulation and debriefing based courses for all levels of learners - ranging from beginner, intermediate to advanced.
Indigenous Health Simulation
The Department of Pediatrics' 2024 Annual Report Education highlight on Indigenous Health Simulation.