Creating Psychological Safety During a Virtual Simulation Session

Background A Canadian academic hospital transitioned from in-person simulation training to virtual simulation in order to maintain COVID-19 physical distancing during an inpatient surgery nurse orientation program. Sample Eight nurses were onboarded to the inpatient surgery program, with a subset of four responding to the postsurvey of the virtual simulation session. Method The scenario was prerecorded and delivered over an online meeting platform to a group of new nurses. The session included an observer's checklist, prebriefing, viewing of the simulation videos synchronously and a debriefing. The nurses were sent an anonymous survey regarding the effectiveness and psychological safety of the experience. Results The nurses agreed that the nurse educators had established psychological safety using a variety of strategies and would participate in future virtual simulation sessions. Conclusion While the virtual environment of simulation education poses new challenges, it was effectively employed to facilitate learning in a physically and psychologically safe environment.