The use of simulation for healthcare professional education has been a long-established
teaching pedagogy in medicine and nursing disciplines. In recent times, it has been a
growing area in the education of other health and social care professionals, including
occupational therapy. Simulation can offer opportunities for students to participate in
alternative learning activities while developing crucial real life clinical skills, in a safe
learning environment.
While simulation education has clear benefits and opportunities, it can require
significant planning time to ensure high fidelity. In addition, simulation training activities
can be traditionally quite expensive. While simulation learning is growing in momentum
in Australia and America; it is not known to what extent simulation practices are being
used in occupational therapy education programmes in Ireland and the UK.
The aim of this project is to map and provide an overview of the current research on
simulation practices used in occupational therapy education in the UK and Ireland. This
scoping review will aim to establish the nature of simulation activities that are being
used in occupational therapy education and the extent to which these methods are
being applied.
The objective of the project is to:
· Establish the extent by which simulation practices are being applied
· Identify the nature of simulation methods being used
The hypothesis for this project is that there is a gap in the published research in this
area, particularly in an Irish context. It is predicted that there is a great deal of variability
in simulation practices and methods being applied across occupational therapy
programmes.
