IMPORTANT: The MSDT Companion Intake Form© (eForm Fillable) and Master Simulation Design Template© (eForm Fillable) are linked. To toggle back and forth in the document, click on headings to take you between forms.

Simulation-based education (SBE) is a complex and detailed educational process that entails deliberate planning, implementation, and evaluative processes. Although creating a simulation scenario/case is one key element of simulation design, many more steps must be considered to create a comprehensive simulation-based educational event. Therefore, this tool was developed as a process guide to designing comprehensive simulation-based learning events. To create positive outcomes, instructional designers of simulation should use the best educational and simulation practices to meet focused learning objectives and learner needs. The INACSL Standards of Best Practice: SimulationSM - Simulation Design (INACSL Standards Committee, 2016) lists eleven critical design criteria for effective simulation design. The design criterion is listed as follows (Note that for this Master Simulation Design Template, some criterion is combined or collapsed to facilitate a sequential design process).

The MDST and Companion Intake Form is intended to guide you through a sequential approach to simulation design based on the INACSL Simulation Design standard (INACSL Standards Committee, 2016), except that Step 1 (needs assessment and gap analysis) should always be the initial step. The remaining steps can be developed concurrently. The Master Simulation Design Companion Intake Form will help you jump-start initial brainstorming and information gathering in the simulation event design process. We would welcome your valued feedback on these resources.

NOTE: This tool is peer-reviewed but psychometric testing for validity and reliability has not been established.

You are free to download and use the tool. If you want to adapt the tool, please connect with:

Colette Foisy-Doll MSN, RN, CHSE, ANEF at foisydc@gmail.com, or

Kim Leighton PhD, RN, CHSOS, CHSE, ANEF at huskerrn@gmail.com