Master of Science (MSc.) Healthcare Simulation and Patient Safety

Course Overview

Healthcare simulation is a range of activities that share a broad, similar purpose – to improve the safety, effectiveness, and efficiency of healthcare services. Simulation education is a bridge between classroom learning and real-life clinical experience.

Over the past two decades the use of simulation through distance learning to train healthcare providers has progressed rapidly in terms of both the technology and the educational techniques used. However, there has been a lack of education and training in how this equipment can be used to educate healthcare practitioners or incorporated into existing educational programmes.

The main goal of the MSc. Healthcare Simulation and Patient Safety is to prepare the student to deliver healthcare simulation, run a healthcare simulation centre, and carry out research on or using healthcare simulation.

Course Outline

The course is delivered as much as possible online through distance learning. This delivery method allows the student to study at a time that is convenient to them, no matter where they live. The modules are delivered using a combination of multi-media presentations, online discussion boards, and online tutorials.

There will also be a need to attend our 4 days sim immersion interactive workshops which give the learner hands on experience and training in high fidelity simulation, task trainers, standardized patients, scenario generation, creation of virtual patient scenarios for e-learning and serious game design. They take place in the simulation centre located at the Irish Centre for Applied Patient Safety and Simulation (ICAPSS) at Galway University Hospital.

Modules 1 to 6 will be delivered during the first academic year. Modules 7 and 8 will be delivered during the second academic year of study.

Module 1. An introduction to simulation and training in healthcare

Module 2. Simulation with manikin and task based trainers

Module 3. Standardised patients, virtual patients, and hybrid simulation

Module 4. Human factors and patient safety in simulation

Module 5. Uses of medical and healthcare simulation beyond education

Module 6. Running an effective simulation-based education programme

Module 7. Research Methods for Medical and Healthcare Simulation.

Module 8. Research Thesis.

The course will be assessed by:

• Student participation and reflection on weekly discussion board activities related to the materials presented during the research methods module.
• Completion of module assignments.
• Completion of a research proposal and methodology paper
• Completion of a 3,000 to 5,000 simulation-focused research dissertation in the format of a peer-reviewed journal.

2 year Masters Cost (2022): €5,500 per annum for a student from the EEA (€11,000) and €9,000 per annum for a student from non-EEA (€18,000)

Career Opportunities

In the last decade there have been large changes in: undergraduate healthcare education, postgraduate healthcare education, delivery of healthcare, and the working environment. These changes have led to a large investment in simulation centres nationally and internationally.

The MSc. Healthcare Simulation and Patient Safety will provide the student with the expertise required to lead and carry out research in simulation-based education in undergraduate and postgraduate healthcare teaching environments.