Simulation Certificate Program

The Simulation Certificate Program fosters excellence in nursing education in Canada through faculty development in simulation-based pedagogy, practices, and technologies. The program prepares nurse educators to address a broad complement of practice learning needs and the full range of simulation typologies.

This program is now offered with French-language support. You may indicate on registration your preferred language (English or French) for completing each module’s assignments. A French support instructor will also be available to facilitate breakout rooms and answer questions throughout the lesson. Please note that French-language support extends only to the assignments and does not include the course readings or textbook. The Canadian Certified Simulation Nurse Educator (CCSNE) exam is also not currently available in French.

If you have any questions, please contact education@casn.ca.

The Simulation Certificate Program encompasses four modules, each offered once per calendar year. Although the given sequence is strongly recommended, modules may be taken in any order. Every module culminates in a submitted assignment and a multiple-choice exam. Upon successful completion of all four modules, participants will be prepared to write the national certification exam to achieve the Canadian Certified Simulation Nurse Educator (CCSNE) designation.

The program is designed for nurse educators using simulation in nursing education programs.

Participants must be a nurse registered in their jurisdiction. A graduate degree in nursing is recommended but not required; expectations are similar to those of a graduate-level course.

The program is held online via Zoom and Moodle.

Cost per Module

  • $500 per module for participants from CASN member schools.
  • $550 per module for non-member participants.

Registration includes the following:

  • live webinars
  • instruction, correspondence, and support
  • discussion forum
  • final online exam
  • Certificate of successful completion

Please note that the course is offered in English, and registration is limited. The registration fee does not include the cost of the required course text. Participants are responsible for purchasing the required text.

Register for Module 1

Campbell, S., Luctkar-Flude, M., Harder, N., & Tyerman, J. (Eds.). (2023). Simulation in Canadian nursing education. Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing.

Nicole Harder, RN, PhD, CHSE (Modules 2 & 3)

Nicole Harder is an Assistant Professor with the College of Nursing, and the Mindermar Professor in Human Simulation, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba. Nicole has been with the University of Manitoba since 2000 in a variety of positions, including serving as the Coordinator for the College of Nursing Simulation Learning Centre. Her practice background has been as a women’s health nurse practitioner with the Canadian military, as well as several years working in the Canadian high arctic in remote health centers. Nicole has conducted several education sessions nationally and internationally educating faculty members on facilitation and debriefing techniques in simulation, and how to create effective simulation-based learning experiences. She is the Editor-in-Chief for the peer reviewed journal Clinical Simulation in Nursing, and serves on the Board of Directors for the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning, and with the Réseau Simulation Canada Network. In addition, she has served as the Co-Chair of the Canadian Association for Schools of Nursing (CASN) Taskforce on Clinical Education, was the former Chair of the CASN Simulation Special Interest Group, and is the a Past-President of the Western and Northern Region-CASN.

Suzanne Hetzel Campbell, RN, PhD, IBCLC, FCNEI , CCSNE (Modules 2 & 3)

Dr. Suzanne Hetzel Campbell, Emeritus Professor at the University of British Columbia, School of Nursing, Vancouver, Canada, is a seasoned global educator who uses technology and experiential learning pedagogy to build capacity in simulation. She provides ongoing leadership in facilitating faculty development workshops, mentoring new and seasoned authors to share their simulation designs in her award winning co-edited textbook and encouraging inter-professional simulations led by nurses. Understanding the complexities of bringing classrooms to life, she helps bridge the gap between education and practice. She is advancing interprofessional education, research, and practice by incorporating technical and non-technical skills such as communication, therapeutic relationship, leadership and team-building in her simulation research and international presentations and publications. Advancing nursing’s role in the development of knowledge, partnerships, and collaboration begin with the support of nursing faculty—Dr. Campbell’s commitment to professional development of nursing faculty spans two decades. Her clinical work in the area of lactation with underserved populations has led her to global and interdisciplinary work that melds with the goals of simulation. Enjoying didactic, clinical, and technological teaching she is excited to share her years of experience with the next generation of nursing faculty.

Marian Luctkar-Flude, RN, PhD (Modules 1 & 4)

Dr. Marian Luctkar-Flude is an Assistant Professor at the Queen’s University School of Nursing. She has over 20 years’ experience as a medical-surgical nurse and over 15 years’ experience as an educator.  She has been involved in simulation education since 2005 when she was appointed as the Nursing Lab Coordinator and helped to take the new high-fidelity simulators out of the box. During that time she led the development of the Queen’s nursing simulation program and collaborated with colleagues from the School of Medicine and the School of Rehabilitation Therapy to develop, implement and evaluate a series of interprofessional simulation modules for prelicensure students. She now holds a tenure track faculty position, but continues to be involved in curriculum development using various simulation strategies, and was awarded the Queen’s University Faculty of Health Sciences Education Award for Excellence and Innovation in Teaching in 2014.

Marian has been an active member of the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) since 2010 and currently serves on the Research Committee and the Editorial Board of the journal Clinical Simulation in Nursing. She is also a member of other simulation organizations such as the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH), the SIM-one Healthcare Simulation Network, is a founding member and current Co-President of the Ontario Simulation Alliance (OSA) and the Canadian Network of Nurse Educators using Simulation (CAN-SIM), and is on the steering committee for the Canadian Virtual Simulation Community of Learning. She teaches in simulation design and research courses for the OSA/CAN-SIM, SIM-one, and the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN).

Her program of research initially focused on curriculum development and interprofessional education using simulation, and in 2016 she was the recipient of the INACSL Excellence in Research Award in recognition of this work. Her current research interests include faculty development, presimulation preparation, and virtual simulation games. She is the recipient of numerous educational research grants, has published widely in the field of simulation-based education, and has presented at numerous regional, national and international conferences and scientific conferences. She is known as a collaborator and mentor amongst her nursing and interprofessional colleagues in the simulation community.

Jane Tyerman, RN, PhD (Modules 1 & 4)

Jane Tyerman, RN, PhD, CCSNE, is an associate professor at the University of Ottawa School of Nursing. She has over 29 years of experience in acute care clinical practice and 15 years of academic teaching experience at the graduate and undergraduate levels. She has an in-depth understanding of what it means to be a nurse in the complex and challenging environments in which nursing students learn and nurses work. Dr. Tyerman has made significant contributions to nursing education by advancing the pedagogy that underpins the effective use of clinical simulation and through her innovative use of technology to expand equity and access to high-quality teaching and learning resources. Dedicated to providing faculty development supporting simulation-based learning, she contributed to developing the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN) Certified Canadian Simulation Nurse Educator program and instructs course modules focusing on simulation design, evaluation, and scholarship. She received the 2020 International Nursing Association for Clinical and Simulation Learning Spirit of Leadership Award, the 2021 Canadian Network for Innovation in Education Excellence and Innovation In Instructional Design Award, the 2021 CASN Ethel Johns Award for distinguished service to nursing education in Canada, the 2022 University of Ottawa Health Science Dean’s Excellence in Teaching Prize, and the 2023 Society for Simulation in Healthcare Virtual Simulation Award for Innovation. Dr. Tyerman’s research and publications focus on developing nursing simulation, using curriculum integration, and using serious games and virtual simulation. Collaborating with nurse educators across Canada and internationally, she has authored multiple publications on simulation and virtual simulation games. Her expertise has led to co-creation of over 185 virtual simulation games, many available in French. Dr. Tyerman is known for her innovations, collaborations, and mentorship, encouraging nurse educators to excel in the delivery of simulation-based education.

Cancellations

  • Registrations that are cancelled up to 1 week before the start of the course will be refunded minus a $50 administrative fee.
  • Registrations that are cancelled with less than 1 week’s notice will not be refunded, though the participant will have the option to defer the cost of the course to apply to another CNEI/CASN course.
  • There will be no refunds issued once the course begins.
  • CASN reserves the right to cancel this course if it does not meet minimal group requirements.

Course Content

  • Participants are responsible for access to any course materials, including articles and textbooks.
  • There will be no make-up assignments accepted.
  • Assignments will not be re-marked.
  • Late submissions will not be accepted, unless under exceptional circumstances.

Please see our complete academic policies.

If you have any questions or would like more information about the course, please contact education@casn.ca.


Module 1: Theory and Design

The first module of the program focuses on competencies 1 and 2, which primarily address the initial phases of a simulation-based experience. Participants will learn to assess, develop, implement, and evaluate simulation as a teaching and learning tool that facilitates practice learning in nursing education. They will also learn to create and integrate simulation theory/knowledge into courses and programs to facilitate the acquisition of entry-to-practice nursing competencies among nursing students.

Dates

Section A (Tuesdays, 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Eastern time)

  • Starts April 7, 2026
  • Exam: May 26, 2026
  • Instructors: Nicole Harder & Suzanne Campbell

Section B (Thursdays, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Eastern time)

  • Starts April 9, 2026
  • Exam: May 28, 2026
  • Instructors: Jane Tyerman & Marian Luctkar-Flude

Time Frame

8 weeks. Please note that participation in all live webinars is a course requirement.

Module Competencies

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  • describe foundational theories and frameworks that are commonly embedded in simulation pedagogy;
  • appraise components of a safe learning environment for participants engaged in a simulation-based experience;
  • articulate how one’s personal educational philosophy aligns with theories and philosophies for using simulation;
  • critically reflect on one’s skills, knowledge, attitude, and performance as a simulationist;
  • incorporate foundational evidence for a simulation-based experience using a needs assessment;
  • align simulation-based experiences with learning outcomes, related courses/modules, clinical practice, and/or curriculum;
  • embed learning theory and frameworks in simulation design;
  • utilize comprehensive and appropriate templates for simulation-based experiences;
  • apply evidence-informed best practices and operational logistics in simulation design;
  • promote a physically and psychologically safe environment for engaging in simulation education;
  • choose the methods of learner assessment and evaluation prior to the simulation-based experience;
  • model ethical approaches and professional integrity in simulation education by upholding the Healthcare Simulationist Code of Ethics;
  • incorporate preparatory activities and prebriefing effectively to prepare learners for the simulation-based experience;
  • establish guidelines for the simulation experience to promote a physically and psychologically safe learning environment;
  • demonstrate a respect for the learning and educational cultures of other health professions;
  • articulate the appropriate use of formative, summative, and high-stakes evaluations in simulation-based experiences with interprofessional teams;
  • appraise research and evidence related to simulation-based education;
  • participate in simulation activities and initiatives to advance the science of simulation;
  • participate in professional development opportunities to enhance one’s own knowledge, practice, and expertise; and
  • model the practice guidelines and principles of the Healthcare Simulationist Code of Ethics.

Module 2: Facilitation

Module 2 focuses on the indicators of competency 3, which address the in-situ phases of a simulation-based experience. Participants will demonstrate acquired knowledge and facilitation skills in nursing simulation through teaching and learning practice.

Dates

TBD.

Time Frame

8 weeks. Please note that participation in all live webinars is a course requirement.

Module Competencies

Facilitates effective learning within the context of simulation-based experiences.

  • Provide learners sufficient time and information prior to the simulation-based learning experience;
  • Establish guidelines for the simulation experience to ensure a safe learning environment for the learners;
  • Incorporate preparatory activities and prebriefing effectively to prepare learners for the simulation-based experience;
  • Facilitate the simulation actively and effectively;
  • Allow the scenario to progress with or without prompts or cues depending on the level of learners and learning outcomes;
  • Use a variety of methods to prompt or provide cues to the learner;
  • Provide constructive and timely learner feedback in the simulation;
  • Model ethical approaches and professional integrity in simulation teaching and learning;
  • Provide consistent experiences across groups of learners to ensure standardization; and
  • Debrief simulation-based experiences effectively in a conducive environment, using best practices and frameworks, to facilitate learning.

Module 3: Interprofessional Education

Module 3 focuses on the indicators of competency 4, which examines the knowledge and skills related to the use of simulation in interprofessional education and on collaboration with other health professionals in providing simulation-based experiences to interprofessional groups of learners.

Dates

TBD.

Time Frame

8 weeks. Please note that participation in all live webinars is a course requirement.

Module Competencies

Collaborates with educators from other health professions to develop and implement simulation-based experiences.

  • Articulate theoretical foundations and essential elements of interprofessional education and team behaviour as it relates to simulation-based pedagogy;
  • Recognize the opportunities presented by simulation for interprofessional education and for the development of effective team behaviour understands and respects learning and educational cultures of other health professions;
  • Collaborate with educators from other health professions in designing authentic, challenging, and reality-based simulation scenarios;
  • Collaborate with educators from other health professions in implementing simulation-based experiences;
  • Facilitate appropriate team-based debriefing strategies and feedback following interprofessional simulation-based experiences; and
  • Identify and address potential barriers and effective strategies to interprofessional simulation-based experiences.

Module 4: Evaluation and Scholarship

Module 4 focuses on competencies 5 and 6, which address the post-experience phases of a simulation-based experience. Participants will demonstrate their knowledge of appropriate evaluation of participants and the simulation-based learning activity. They will also show how a nurse educator with expertise in simulation participates and contributes to the larger learning simulation instructor community, both in Canada and globally.

Dates

TBD.

Time Frame

8 weeks. Please note that participation in all live webinars is a course requirement.

Module Competencies

Draws on foundational theories and simulation pedagogy when teaching simulation.

  • Articulate the appropriate use of formative, summative, and high-stakes evaluations in simulation-based experiences;
  • Evaluate participants as directed by the objectives/outcomes and intent of the simulation;
  • Develop appropriate evaluation instruments for outcome measurement;
  • Share clear, appropriate, constructive, and timely formative feedback during and after simulation to support learning; and
  • Provide discrete, constructive, and timely summative feedback in a safe learning environment using standardized formats.

Designs effective simulation scenarios.

  • Appraise research and evidence in simulation practice for use in teaching and clinical simulations;
  • Support the mentorship of nurse educators in simulation practice;
  • Advance simulation knowledge through participating in simulation projects and/or research activities; and
  • Disseminate information related to implementations and innovations in simulation pedagogy to the health professional community.