From 2022 to 2024, the Children’s Minnesota Simulation Program delivered more than 650 simulation courses to nearly 6,000 healthcare professionals, totaling over 20,000 learner hours focused on safety, workflow optimization and high-risk preparedness. Simulation-led redesign of the Minnetonka (Minn.) Ambulatory Surgery Center decreased average post-procedure stays for myringotomy and tube insertion patients, improving recovery times and family satisfaction. The program’s neonatal advanced practice provider bootcamp and competency simulations strengthened team communication and confidence in managing rare, high-risk conditions, while quarterly extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation simulations aligned cardiovascular ICU, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and operating room teams for life-threatening cardiac events. Its caregiver simulation training equips parents of infants with complex cardiac conditions to practice medication administration, feeding and emergency response before discharge, reducing anxiety and supporting earlier recognition of complications at home. In 2023, the program partnered with the 133rd Medical Group of the Minnesota Air National Guard to conduct a large-scale pediatric trauma simulation involving 46 Air Force members, 30 simulated pediatric mass-casualty victims and more than 20 system experts providing instruction. Accredited by the Society of Simulation in Healthcare in Teaching Education, Systems Integration, Assessment and Research, the program has earned multiple recognitions, including the “Simulation Continuous Improvement Award” and the Minnesota Hospital Association’s “Innovation in Patient Care” honor.
