SONHS Granted Simulation Accreditation

The School of Nursing and Health Studies Simulation Hospital for Advancing Research and Education (S.H.A.R.E.™) has received full accreditation in the area of teaching and education from the prestigious Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH), SONHS Dean Cindy L. Munro announced. SSH conferred the final accreditation status from June 1, 2020 through December 31, 2025—the maximum five-year cycle granted by SSH in this rapidly changing field.

S.H.A.R.E.™ met all of SSH’s rigorous accreditation criteria for core standards (mission and governance, program and resource management, human resources, program improvement, ethics, and expanding the field) and for teaching/education standards (educational activities, educational activity design, qualified educators, and evaluation and improvement).

“The award of SSH accreditation is a great recognition for the school and S.H.A.R.E., and a testament to the hard work and dedication of the S.H.A.R.E. simulation team, our faculty, and our students,” says Jeffrey Groom, PhD, CRNA, FSSH, associate dean for Simulation Programs and professor of clinical. “It is a strong statement about the importance of simulation-based education and its role in the education and lifelong professional development of our students, alumni, and clinical colleagues.”

Dr. Groom credits Donna McDermott, PhD, RN, CHSE, associate professor of clinical and assistant dean of simulation, and the school’s nurse specialists and simulation operations technologists for their critical role in the accreditation application process, which began in May 2019, as well as in preparing S.H.A.R.E.™ for last month’s onsite review.

“The accreditation process is a journey that represents a time for self and peer assessment of our simulation program,” says Dr. McDermott. “This international recognition from our simulation colleagues reinforces our own standards for providing students with the highest-quality simulation experiences and learning outcomes. I feel fortunate to be part of such a dedicated, creative team.”

Among the strengths the SSH Board of Review cited: the passion and expertise of the nurse specialists at S.H.A.R.E.™, the ability to deliver simulations in the native language of international visiting students and cater to Spanish-speaking simulation centers, the availability of per diem technologists and nurse specialists, well-established philanthropic support, and clear institutional support.

SONHS has held SSH provisional accreditation since 2016, and in September 2017 opened its five-story, 41,000-square-foot simulation hospital, now known as S.H.A.R.E.™. Over the past two years, S.H.A.R.E.™ educators have provided nearly 47,000 learner contact hours for future and current nurses, physicians, and allied health professionals. S.H.A.R.E.™ is also a venue for research, innovation, and service, as highlighted by the team’s recent involvement in rapid prototyping for COVID-19 intervention projects.

The mission of the Simulation Hospital for Advancing Research and Education (S.H.A.R.E.™) at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies is to transform lives through simulation education, research, innovation, and service across the hemisphere. S.H.A.R.E.™ operates under the SSH Code of Ethics, American Nurses Association Code of Ethics, and School of Nursing and Health Studies Honor Code. For more information, call (305) 284-2709.