Simulation Scenarios for Nurse Educators: Making It Real

Suzanne Hetzel Campbell & Karen M. Daley. Springer Publishing Company: New York. 2009. 298 pages, Soft bound. US $60.00. ISBN: 978-082612242-1

* Reviewed by:

Neil Coogan, MSN, MBA, RN-BC, CEN

Nursing Education Department

Bay Pines VA Healthcare System

Bay Pines, Florida

Simulation as a teaching and learning methodology is now considered the bridge to deliberate and safe clinical nursing practice. Editors Campbell and Daley, along with 26 contributors, address the time, effort, money, and success stories from several schools of nursing about creating and operating simulation laboratories for students and others. The purpose of the book was to assist nurse educators in incorporating innovative simulation scenarios in different clinical settings. The editors are doctorally prepared professors of nursing with extensive experience in implementation of human patient simulation, including development of nursing resource centers.

Simulation technologies in nursing education are a viable, organized, and controlled teaching strategy in the practice-based profession of nursing. The authors offer some real-world tips, advice, and guidance on how to integrate simulation-focused pedagogy into the nursing curriculum, taking into account familiar barriers such as faculty buy-in and development.

Part 1 covers the basis of simulation. Contributors present their own stories about funding, practice issues, and creation of nursing resource centers or laboratories. Part 2, the longest section, focuses on 17 at-risk clinical situations for maximum student learning. It is this area of the book that makes it so unique and valuable-a step-by-step construction of various scenario templates. These templates include the title of the scenario, clinical focus area, scenario description, learning objectives, "setting the scene," and evaluative criteria as demonstrated by student assessment and actions. Each scenario comes complete with subjective reports from the "patient," settings for the simulator, patient demographics, and even laboratory values. At the end of each scenario are briefing guidelines to stimulate the student's critical thinking and reflective learning.

The authors mention more than once the concept of "mastering vigilance," which is a necessary skill in excellent nursing assessment and intervention. Simulation "integrates the theoretical didactic components with critical thinking to enact nursing behaviors in a safe, efficient, ethical manner or as an end point (capstone) measure of competencies" (p. 15). Simulation truly helps to demonstrate the nursing process in a tangible, organized, and timely manner.

This book serves as a needed reference for those nurse educators in schools of nursing or in clinical settings who are serious about simulation. The book is organized and easy to read. The index is detailed for quick reference. Diagrams of laboratory designs and photographs of clinical resource centers would have added to the stories from faculty. It does not distinguish nor review the various different simulation technologies that are available on the market. Scenario design and construction are extremely time-consuming, so readers can appreciate the comprehensive treatment on scenario development and implementation. For this reason alone, the book is worthy of purchase for any educator wanting to learn more about simulation laboratories and scenario development.

B Is for Balance: A Nurse's Guide for Enjoying Life at Work and at Home

Sharon Weinstein. 2009. Sigma Theta Tau International. Indianapolis, IN. 176 pages, Paper bound. US $21.95. ISBN-13: 978-1 930538-81-8

* Reviewed by:

Jim Nickerson, MS, RN, CEN

Clinical Nurse Educator

James A. Haley Veteran's Hospital

Tampa, Florida

I was initially skeptical when this book arrived, thinking is this one of those self-help books you see on the end caps at book stores? Wow, was I off the mark with that assumption. B Is for Balance could have been titled B Is for "Banquet" because the book is a smorgasbord of recipes to feed the physiological and emotional health of today's busy healthcare practitioner.

What I liked about this book was the format-starting with the table of contents in a simple two-part outline. Part 1 poses questions of "self- awareness." I found some of the "why" questions in Section 1 not only related to "self-actualization" but perhaps also bidirectional depending on your chronological age or emotional state. I enjoyed those sections on who you are, where you want to be, and how do you get there.

As in the chapter "Why Am I here," it made me reflect back to colleagues I have encountered who constantly challenge themselves and their purpose. The book displays some powerful concepts-one being that of purpose. The chapter points out that purpose depends on intuition-the inner voice that directs or leads to purpose. How many times have we heard but not listened to ourselves? Although we expect that nurses use their nursing intuition with patients, many do not use it for themselves.

B Is for Balance is laced with quotes from famous people that provoke thought. Another novelty is the insert on a variety of pages called "Balancing Act." This insert is a tapestry of ideas from health-related subjects, historical and holistic methods, taming of technology (e-mail), humor, diet, and interactive exercises, just to name a few. I found this information beneficial and supportive in achieving physiological and psychological balance given most nurses' hectic life style.

The beauty of this book is that it not only helps you find and identify your balance but also can be used as a reference for wellness initiatives. I personally have referenced the section on work-life balance; the eat, sleep, and be merry section; and the laughter as the best medicine in some of my daily conversations with other healthcare personnel.

I was impressed with the last section of the book, called "Destiny in the Balance." This chapter gives the reader a simple equation to help understand balance and how attitude influences destiny as part of the personal journey to balance.

This book is a quick read in any of the content areas that may be relevant to a reader's wellness balance at any point in time. I would highly recommend this book for all generations of nurses-it's that good!