Driving safe, effective patient care through simulation

SIMULATION-BASED EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP AND RESEARCH

Simulation based education saves lives. As healthcare continues to evolve at pace, there has never been a more important time to prepare our workforce for the realities of 21st century clinical practice. Simulation is increasingly recognised as a cornerstone of professional development for healthcare students and practitioners. By providing immersive, guided learning experiences, simulation has the power to transform clinical capabilities and support the delivery of safe, effective, and compassionate patient care.

Research Challenge

At Queen’s University Belfast, we are pushing the boundaries of the science that underpins simulation based education. Simulation is used to prepare healthcare professionals for some of the most complex and challenging situations they may encounter; from cardiac arrest to mental health crisis to name but a few. These carefully designed, high impact simulated learning experiences are deeply transformative, enabling learners to develop clinical expertise, professional judgement, and human centred care.

Beyond investing in cutting edge simulation technologies, we are reimagining the science of simulation-based learning itself, exploring how best to develop the capabilities required of modern healthcare professionals. Professor Gerry Gormley leads an internationally recognised programme of research in simulation based education and educational scholarship that is shaping practice locally and globally.

Our Approach

Grounding Simulation in the Human Experience

A defining feature of simulation practice at Queen’s is our commitment to keeping the human experience at the centre of healthcare education. Many of our research projects are co produced with individuals who bring lived experience directly into simulation, ensuring our work remains grounded in real world needs and perspectives.

These collaborations include individuals with lived experience of mental health crisis, women supported by Women’s Aid, participants from Action Cancer, and individuals from WAVE who have been affected by trauma arising from the legacy of conflict in Northern Ireland. Through these partnerships, our simulation practice is enriched by authentic human stories and insights.

Within the Centre for Medical Education, we are pioneering pedagogical research that is reshaping how simulation can drive meaningful change in real world practice. Our award winning research is setting the pace for how simulation is conceptualised and delivered. Because simulation often addresses highly challenging and emotionally charged clinical situations, our work has made significant contributions to advancing best practice in psychological safety, ensuring learners can extend their capabilities within supportive, well facilitated, and developmentally progressive environments. This research continues to influence simulation design and delivery at QUB and beyond.

Innovating Through Theatre and Drama Based Simulation

One of our flagship innovation streams involves pioneering collaborations with experts in drama and theatre. Working closely with colleagues such as Dr Paul Murphy (Department of Drama, QUB), we have advanced theatre based simulation approaches that help healthcare professionals navigate complex interpersonal, ethical, and emotionally demanding situations.

These approaches support practitioners to conduct mental health assessments, respond to unprofessional behaviour, and intervene effectively in challenging clinical encounters, building confidence, communication skills, and professional courage.

As Áine Morrison, Chief Social Worker at the Office of Social Services, Department of Health (NI), noted:

“The multi disciplinary and multi agency nature of the Forum Theatre approach to Approved Social Worker assessments has been highly valuable in developing shared understanding of best practice and improved partnerships between all those involved. The team’s skills and strengths in communication, facilitation and partnership working have been instrumental in achieving these very positive outcomes.”

Empathy at the Heart of Healthcare

Empathy lies at the core of high quality healthcare. In partnership with colleagues, we harness the power of simulation to deepen empathic understanding among healthcare professionals. Through carefully designed experiential simulations, learners are enabled to tentatively experience aspects of illness and impairment, strengthening reflective practice and empathic care.

Our research collective has pioneered a range of simulation based activities that enhance empathic skills in healthcare students and practitioners. From simulations exploring hearing impairment, living with melanoma, and visual impairment, to experiences that illuminate the challenges faced by older individuals, this work has been genuinely transformative.

"Our research collective in simulation-based education has pioneered a range of simulation-based activities to enhance empathic skills in our healthcare students and practitioners, from pioneering simulations that sensitively, but constructively, allow healthcare students to experience hearing impairment, living with a melanoma to the impairments experienced by older individuals."

What impact did it make?

Simulation creates unique learning opportunities, enabling healthcare professionals to safely engage with complex and high-pressure scenarios they may not otherwise encounter in traditional training environments. Through these experiences, learners develop not only clinical expertise but also the emotional resilience, judgement, and communication skills required in real-world practice.

This research has resonated strongly with the international education community. Our work has featured among the most accessed papers in the leading journal Medical Education, underscoring its global relevance and impact. Within the wider academic community, scholars at Johns Hopkins and Harvard University have cited our research as essential reading in the field of health professions education.