As the healthcare simulation industry gets bigger, it also gets more competitive. Simulation programs are growing, simulation technology is evolving, and anyone interested in a career in healthcare simulation needs to stay ahead of it all. To give current and future simulation technicians and operations specialists a leg up on their competition, Level 3 Audiovisual recently hosted the Simulation Operations Boot Camp. With participants from New Mexico to Nova Scotia, and one presenter calling in from India, the three-day event covered the basics every simulation technician or operations specialist should know.

Every prank-loving adolescent knows all it takes is a little corn syrup and food coloring to whip up a batch of fake blood that will scare the pants off an unsuspecting mom, sibling or neighborhood friend. But recreating realistic wounds and injuries isn’t just for April Fools’ Day or Halloween. Special effects make up—or moulage—can also be an effective and affordable way to create realistic medical simulation scenarios that enhance and improve the learning experience.

Does your list of responsibilities seem to grow every day? Every organization’s simulation program is a little different and without an industry-wide standard for the role of simulation technician or operations manager, deciding what knowledge, skills, and abilities are most important can be a little daunting. The simulation experts at Level 3 Audiovisual recently weighed in on this topic during the webinar, “10 Things Your Sim Tech Should Know” but—spoiler alert—there are four critical skills every sim tech should have.

Your organization might be ready to shell out the money for a new or expanded healthcare simulation lab, but are you, the simulation technician, fully prepared to operate and manage it? Don’t fret if the answer is no, or maybe, or I don’t know. Level 3 Audiovisual's Simulation Boot Camp will teach you everything you need to know to succeed in your sim tech role, as well as help your organization’s simulation program succeed.

As a simulation technician or operations specialist, you know how valuable training can be in helping you better manage and operate your organization’s simulation center. You may also know that Level 3 Audiovisual’s three-day, all-inclusive simulation boot Camp is the best place to get that training. Now you just need to convince your boss or manager to pick up the tab to send you. Here are five reasons the simulation boot camp is money well spent.

If there’s a massive pileup on the freeway and 50 injured patients head to your emergency room, will you be ready to receive and treat them? If an earthquake damages your corporate offices, do you know how to evacuate everyone quickly and safely? If a military helicopter collides with a commercial airliner at your airport, are you prepared to coordinate a multi-agency response? Just as simulation training has become an integral part of healthcare education, it is increasingly used in disaster preparedness training as well.

Treating a gasping patient who’s reported severe shortness of breath or a postpartum mother who’s hemorrhaging can overwhelm a nursing student. Fortunately, simulated scenarios take the risk out of practicing in such emergencies. Unfortunately, not all nurse educators are trained to plan and implement these simulations to the same standards. Scenarios that are too advanced or not properly planned can go wrong for students by creating panic, triggering post-traumatic stress disorder, and even causing them to change their majors. Simulation is a powerful tool in healthcare education, but without education standards, too many students won’t get the most out of these experiences. If the educators who run the simulation labs aren’t trained to uphold a certain standard, lab experience may harm students by giving them a subpar education or a negative experience with the field.

Nurses are known for how busy they are since patient needs often can’t wait. And the nursing shortage means they need to focus on real patient care without the added responsibility of training students. In fact, a shortage of instructors is a big factor in why nursing schools turned away more than 56,000 qualified applicants in 2017. Fortunately, in many instances, today’s simulation technology can take the place of clinical training in medical facilities.