Quinnipiac’s simulation program in the Center for Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences on the North Haven Campus received accreditation in the area of teaching/education.

“As the associate dean in the School of Nursing, I oversee the very talented team of simulation staff who are experts in the field,” Professor Lisa Rebeschi said. “Along with colleagues from the schools of medicine and health sciences, they have developed a simulation program of the highest quality.

“Simulation-based clinical education is a powerful pedagogical approach that provides students with the opportunities to refine their clinical judgment and decision-making skills,” Rebeschi said. “It remains at the forefront of nursing education and continues to provide students with impactful learning experiences.”

The prestigious accreditation further solidifies Quinnipiac’s commitment to simulating the front lines of modern patient care. The facilities include expansive skills labs with life-like anatomical models and equipment that mimic what is found in real clinical settings. The university provides health assessment and skills laboratories along with hi-fidelity simulation suites, including operating rooms and multiple state-of-the-art adult, pediatric and neonatal mannequins used to represent various stages of care and need.

“It is a great honor and pleasure to collaborate with colleagues across the schools of nursing, health sciences and medicine to build bridges and strengthen relationships among the healthcare professions through simulation,” said Liana Kappus, simulation director for the School of Nursing. “This accreditation process was an enlightening and healthy process that challenged us to continuously improve our simulation-based education in meaningful ways for our students. I’m very proud of what we accomplished together.”

In granting accreditation, the SSH said Quinnipiac’s collaboration among healthcare programs is exemplary and provides a solid foundation for synergistic simulation initiatives and expanded interprofessional education in the future. The university also was lauded for its consistent and systematic process utilized to develop, implement and evaluate simulation activities with associated documents and templates.

“The value of the program resonates at all levels, including the provost office, faculty, learners and colleagues,” noted the accreditors.

SSH Accreditation is a peer-reviewed, customized evaluation of healthcare simulation programs. This accreditation examines a simulation program's processes and outcomes in assessment, research, teaching/education and systems integration. SSH, which is the largest healthcare simulation accrediting body in the world, accredited its first healthcare simulation program in 2010. There are now more than 100 SSH accredited programs in 10 countries.