In this Issue
President’s Overview
Pamela Andreatta
Summer is upon us in the northern hemisphere and my hope for those of you who live in the part of the world, where warmth is a much appreciated respite, is that you are enjoying some time off with your families and friends! For our friends and colleagues in the southern hemisphere, if the weather has you yearning for all things sunshine and coatless endeavors, I feel your pain and note that like all things in this spinning world, what goes around eventually comes around. The upside of our global community is that there is always an opportunity to connect in every context, and the summer months are a fantastic time to engage with our affiliate and partner organizations around the world as they hold their respective meetings. In this month’s newsletter, you will learn a bit about what several of these groups are doing and how SSH has plans to collaborate and support their efforts. More shared activities will take place in the next several months and I’ll look forward to sharing the outcomes of those in September. For now, I’ll share my insights from several meetings I had the privilege of attending and defer the floor to Chad Epps, Don Combs, Jayne Smitten, Pam Jeffries, and Christine Park to share their own chronicles of their respective adventures over the past few months.
The Board of Directors met in June and in addition to moving forward on several initiatives that Jenn Manos will cover in her Executive Director’s report, voted to approve the strategic plan as written. The formal document is now available on the SSH website and we are happy to begin moving forward with a strong framework in place to guide our decision making for the next several years. The meeting was held at the site of our 2016 IMSH meeting – San Diego – which as you will see from the photo, only served to confirm the BODs commitment to SSH by staying inside to work despite the glorious weather beyond the windowed walls. ☺
During the BOD meeting, I had the unenviable task of conveying a bittersweet announcement: That after more than a decade of service and establishing our journal, Simulation in Healthcare, as the premier, indexed journal focusing on healthcare simulation, David Gaba will be stepping down as Editor-in-Chief effective July 2016. David is well known in our community as a visionary thought leader, as well as an extraordinary scholar, engineer, educator, and clinician. To me, he has been an incredible friend and mentor, whose wisdom, generosity, and thoughtfulness seem to know no bounds. Although I am sad to see him relinquish this pivotal role in the Society, I humbled that he believes Simulation in Healthcare will succeed without his sure hand on the tiller. I have every confidence that with his continuing support, the journal will transition to a new EIC while maintaining the quality we have come to appreciate and count on under his leadership. This will be the first of what I’m sure will be many thank you messages to Dr. Gaba – it is impossible to say it enough. Thank you, David, from me personally and professionally.
There are several business developments to share with you as well. First, the transition to our new committee format is going well and I have several updates related to that process, including: the call for participation; chair and vice chair appointments to new committees; and a change in one chair appointment. Second, I appointed several task forces to address specific issues associated with Society business related to governance, the journal, and conflict of interest policies and management plans.
The rest of this edition focuses on the work of a two sections; Simulation Operation and Technology Section (SOTS) and Emergency Medicine Section.
This issue’s Member Profiles section introduces two thoughtful and dedicated members who represent two of our most dynamic membership communities: Operations and Technical Support Systems and Emergency First Responder Clinicians. Seth Jones is the Vice Chair of Finance and Audit Committee and Jordan Halasz is the Chair of SOTS. Both exemplify extraordinary leadership and professional integrity in their professions and through their service to SSH. It is an honor and pleasure to serve with them.
All Things SSH Committees
Our Research Committee Chair, Debra Nestel, has been appointed Editor in Chief of a new simulation journal promoted by our partner organization, SESAM. As such, she will continue to serve as Co-Chair of the Research Committee with Mark Scerbo as her Co-Chair. Dr. Scerbo is a longstanding member of the Research Committee (former Vice Chair), as well as an Associate Editor for our journal, Simulation in Healthcare. Kevin Kunkler will continue to serve as Vice Chair of the Committee. We are fortunate to have such esteemed researchers committed to advancing the research agenda within SSH.
I am pleased to announce the appointments of KT Waxman and Kirsty Freeman as Chair and Vice Chair, respectively, of the Media and Communications Committee. We are in the process of appointing a second Vice Chair, as specified by the Bylaws, and hope to announce that appointment in the next newsletter. Beth Mancini and Janice Palaganas have agreed to take on the roles of Chair and Vice Chair, respectively, of the newly created Credentialing Oversight Commission, which will coordinate the efforts of the Certification, Accreditation and Fellowship Academy Committees. We are in the process of appointing the Chair and Vice Chair of the Fellowship Academy Committee and will announce those selections in the next newsletter. Please join me in thanking these amazing colleagues for their continued service to SSH. Their expertise and willingness to serve benefit us all.
Task Force Efforts
There are currently four task forces addressing specific Society business needs: Society Governance; Journal Publishing Contract; Conflict of Interest and Disclosure Management; and Journal EIC Search.
Governance Task Force
The governance task force was led by past-president Pamela Jeffries, and was appointed to address the need for re-structuring SSH governance practices as a result of our growth and maturation as a professional society. After reviewing our needs and soliciting proposals, the task force recommended David Westman who is the CEO of Westman & Associates Consulting, as an external consultant to help with this important process. Wesman & Associates Consultants have deep experience in organizational governance, strategic planning, organizational reviews, improving financial performance, and building "employer of choice" organizations; many of which are associated with healthcare. The task force and executive leadership will work with Mr. Westman towards establishing and implementing effective governance systems that will serve SSH well now and in the future.
Journal Publishing Contract Task Force
The journal publishing task force was led by past-president Dan Raemer, and was appointed to review our publishing contract with LWW. Dr. Raemer negotiated our original contract with LWW and we are fortunate that he was willing to devote his expertise, experience, and time to the process again. And how exciting and auspicious that our journal, Simulation in Healthcare, has been so successful that we find ourselves at the point of a next phase publishing contract! This is the direct result of the journal’s incredible editorial team, led by David Gaba, as well as the partnership agreement established under Dr. Raemer’s leadership between SSH and LWW. I have no doubt that the current task force will serve our Society likewise so that we can continue to provide an outstanding forum for scholarship related to healthcare simulation.
Journal EIC Search Task Force
As a result of Dr. Gaba’s plan to step down as EIC of Simulation in Healthcare, a task force will be appointed to identify potential candidates for the position. Dr. Gaba has agreed to lead this task force, which will assure its comprehensive review of both the criteria and applicants for the position. I will announce the members of the task force in the next newsletter.
Conflict of Interest and Disclosure Management Task Force
The Conflict of Interest and Disclosure Management task force is being led by Katie Walker and is addressing the Society’s Conflict of Interest and Disclosure Management policies and procedures. Their preliminary work was reviewed by the Board of Directors in June and we expect see continuing development of their plans over the coming months. These are important issues to address as our membership expands to include multiple specialties and domains of practice. In principle, to allow active engagement of all of our members, any real or potential conflicts of interest should be disclosed with a management plan put in place. Many of us will have COIs at some point in our careers, which is fine! We just need to be mindful of disclosing them and abiding by appropriate management plans within the bounds of our service to the Society. I’ll report more on this as we gain further definition from the task force.
Conferences, Meetings, And Forums – Oh My!
INACSL Meeting, Atlanta, GA.
The Society participated at the 14th Annual INACSL Conference in Atlanta, GA in June and had a fantastic time discussing our shared vision for best practices in
simulation-based education and assessment in healthcare. INACSL is a leading forum for nurse educators, researchers, nurse managers, and staff development professionals who work with simulation as part of their methodological approaches. We are fortunate in that many of our SSH members are also active members in INACSL, demonstrating the essential role each organization plays for those who use simulation based methods in their professional practices. The conference focused topical issues related to skills/simulation lab management and simulation enhanced education, and provided numerous opportunities for nurses and other healthcare professionals to network with colleagues and exhibitors. There were many lively discussions about current research in best practices, practice-based competencies and associated challenges, and issues related to patient safety and clinical preparedness of nurses-in-training advancing in their practice. Chad Epps, Pam Jeffries, and I had the privilege of meeting with the INACSL leadership team (Teresa Gore and Carol Durham) to discuss two collaborative efforts: 1) Establishing competency standards for nursing education programs aligned with our certification and accreditation programs, and 2) Writing a consensus white paper on the need for advancing standards-based practices for simulation-based education and assessment in healthcare. We are excited to be able to work collaboratively with this esteemed partner organization and look forward to collectively advancing the science of simulation-based practices in healthcare education.
ASPE Conference, Denver, CO 
The Association of Standardized Patient Educators held their 14th annual conference in Denver in June, with an incredible turn out of clinical edu
cators devoted to the scientific and applied practices standardized (human simulated) patients in healthcare education. The diverse and forward thinking participants were supported by a wide spectrum of interesting and engaging presentations, all designed to provoke thoughtful discussions about the essential role human engagement has in the preparation of clinical providers in medicine, nursing and other healthcare professions. I presented a keynote address about how advancements in technology will help bridge the gaps between technology-based simulated patients and human simulated patients, such that the combination of both modalities will provide a more holistic opportunity for clinical education and assessment. I was also able to facilitate a workshop with SSH Research Chair and BOD member, Debra Nestel, where the participants were able to explore the value of moulage in creating authenticity for both the learner and the standardized patients themselves. We were fortunate to have high level experts from NMBE in the workshop, which not only added to the fun – it upped the technique quotient exponentially! Like INACSL, many ASPE members are also members of SSH and it was a great opportunity for us to discuss ways we can each support both organizations, with the shared aims of advancing healthcare education, patient and clinician safety, and quality of care throughout the professional careers of clinicians and clinical educators. 
Fórum Internacional Berkeley de Simulação Realística e Capacitação em Saúde, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. 
I had the honor of attending the 1st conference specific to simulation in healthcare in Brazil in June, where I presented a keynote address on the topic of the state of the art in healthcare simulation and participated in a panel addressing questions about how simulation-based practices can advance the science of clinical education across all healthcare professions, as well as lead to optimal patient and clinician safety. Although the conference was presented in Portuguese (the official language of Brazil), there
were English language translations provided real time for all members in attendance. I was impressed with the high quality discourse across the myriad of professionals in attendance, but astonished at the active participation of the highest ranking healthcare officers, CEOS, presidents, and government officials in Brazil, who didn’t just stay for their own role as panelist, but as engaged participants in the entire day’s events. Our Brazilian colleagues have been active participants in SSH for many years 
and it is clear that with their efforts and support from the highest levels of healthcare administration in their country will continue to position them at the forefront of innovative applications in healthcare simulation. I extend my congratulations to everyone on the Berkeley team for a tremendous inaugural forum and I look forward to attending their conference again next year after completing a Rosetta Stone course in Portuguese.
I close the president’s overview by letting you all know that I have changed my professional affiliation to the University of Central Florida, where I’ve taken a professorship at the Institute of Simulation and Training in Orlando. I’m excited about my professional charge to advance simulation-centered research specific to human performance in medicine, surgery, and other health professions, and look forward to working with my colleagues across the multiple healthcare programs that comprise the UCF community – many of whom are SSH members!
As always, I welcome your comments and feedback!
Pamela Andreatta, PhD, EdD, MFA, MA, CHSE
SSH President 2015