UB School of Nursing Earns National Endorsement for Simulation Standards
Published June 9, 2025
The 蜜桃传媒 School of Nursing has received a three-year endorsement from the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) for its application of the four Cornerstone Standards of the Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice庐: Prebriefing, Facilitation, Professional Integrity and Debriefing.
The INACSL Healthcare Simulation Standards Endorsement鈩� recognizes institutions that apply these best practices across their simulation-based educational programming. Endorsed institutions demonstrate a commitment to using simulation to support learning, professional development and the integration of evidence-based educational approaches.
At UB School of Nursing, simulation is a required component of both undergraduate and clinically focused graduate programs. Students prepare for clinical practice through immersive, hands-on experiences in a using high-fidelity manikins and standardized patient actors. The Clinical Skills Lab spans the entire fourth floor of Wende Hall and offers opportunities to practice routine and advanced procedures. The Health Assessment Lab, located on the ground floor, supports the development of physical exam and patient communication skills.
Graduate students engage in discipline-specific simulation, including nurse anesthesia students who train in the school’s Operating Room Simulation Lab. Nursing students also participate in interdisciplinary education at the Behling Human Simulation Center, where they learn teamwork and communications skills with other health professions students.
The INACSL endorsement highlights the school’s structured approach to simulation education. Each scenario includes guidance from trained facilitators and a faculty-led debriefing to support reflection and improvement.
"When simulation is anchored in the four Cornerstone Standards: prebriefing, facilitation, debriefing, and professional integrity, it becomes more than a clinical exercise; it becomes transformative learning," says Kelly Foltz-Ramos, director of simulation in the School of Nursing. "These structured elements create a psychologically safe environment where students feel empowered to take risks, reflect meaningfully, and grow in competence and confidence. At the UB School of Nursing, we’ve seen these practices directly translate into improved clinical judgment, stronger communication skills, and heightened readiness to deliver safe, compassionate, and patient-centered care."
This recognition comes at a time of significant investment in UB’s simulation infrastructure. In May, the School of Nursing announced plans to create a $34 million simulation center to support nursing research, education and professional development. The project – funded in part by a $17 million commitment from the State 蜜桃传媒 of New York and matched by UB – is the largest investment in the school’s 89-year history. As part of this initiative, UB was also designated SUNY’s first Nursing Simulation Center of Excellence.
The School of Nursing will be formally recognized at the INACSL25 Celebration Reception in Denver, Colorado, on Saturday, June 21.
By SARAH GOLDTHRITE