The Healthcare Simulation Certificate is designed for post-baccalaureate students who want to learn more about the education of healthcare professionals using simulation. The certificate prepares students to conduct healthcare simulation in accordance with national and international standards.
Classes are 100% online. Once per month, students are required to attend Friday morning classes synchronously online. In addition, each course includes a clinical component to provide students with practice experiences with simulation. The first course, HSCS 6500, will require 90 clinical hours, of which 15 hours will be at the GCSU STRC (Simulation & Translational Research Center). During subsequent courses, students can request to pursue clinical simulation experiences in other facilities.
Why the healthcare simulation certificate?
Healthcare simulation science is rapidly expanding in healthcare education, requiring training and education of healthcare professionals to apply national and international standards to simulation education. This program will prepare students to apply best practices in simulation education.
Applicants to the program must hold a bachelor’s degree in a healthcare discipline from a regionally accredited college. Applicants must complete a formal GCSU Graduate School application with fees, official transcripts of all academic work, and a current resume. Students will complete an additional School of Nursing interview questionnaire as part of the admission process.
Dr. Roberts is a Georgia College & State University alumna, where she received her Doctor of Nursing Practice, Master's in Nursing Education, and Bachelor of Science in Nursing. During her doctoral studies she was signified as a Jonas Scholar. She has worked in various clinical areas as a registered nurse including intensive care, pain management, and emergency care services. Dr. Roberts received the Laurie Hendrickson McMillan Award in 2020 for excellence in teaching, research, and campus and community service. She holds a certification as a Healthcare Simulation Educator from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare and Standardized Participant Methodology certification through the Association of Standardized Patient Educator. In addition to being a 2022 alumna of National League for Nursing Lead Institutes Simulation Education Program and the 2022-2023 recipient of the College of Health Science Excellence in Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Award.
As the director of the Simulation and Translational Research Center at Georgia College & State University she provides leadership, development of faculty/staff, metrics, and integration of simulation technology into the nursing curriculum. Additionally, Dr. Roberts is the Program Coordinator for the year long, healthcare simulation certificate program that teaches healthcare educators about simulation pedagogy, best-practices, and operations.
Dr. Roberts has secured grant funding from various sources at Georgia College. Her current research focuses on using simulation to support the learning needs of undergraduate and graduate healthcare disciplines. She has published simulation related research in various nursing journals. Dr. Roberts has also presented on simulation research and simulation center management at the local, state, national, and international levels.
