Simulation

Schar School Students Spend a Day Solving a Crisis in the Baltics. (Don’t Worry, It Was a Simulation.)

Andrew J Schappert — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 13:48:10 +0000

Schar School Students Spend a Day Solving a Crisis in the Baltics. (Don’t Worry, It Was a Simulation.) Andrew J Schappert Wed, 10/26/2022 - 09:48

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Joel Hillison, director of national security policy and strategy at the Army War College, listens in as Team USA discusses proposed action during Game 2 of the simulation. Photos by Kim Talley

Dangerous turmoil brews in an Estonian separatist state, one supported by an aggressive Russian minority in the region. Surrounding nations are concerned about an outbreak of conflict, but what’s the best way to respond while ensuring individual rights, defending democracy, dealing with a refugee crisis, and protecting the energy grid?

That was the fictional situation facing about 45 participants in an October Baltics 2028 Simulation hosted by the Schar School’s Center for Security Policy Studies and facilitated by members of the U.S. Army War College. The daylong event challenged participants to apply their knowledge of foreign policy and strategy in an effort to thwart—or at least predict—possible outcomes of a realistic crisis.

It may have looked like an elaborate board game, but the perceived danger was realistic and the correct decisions were vital, said participants.

“It was very insightful and I learned a lot about collaborative decision-making and strategy during a geopolitical crisis,” said Master of International Security student Sebastian Evans. “I highly recommend Schar School students to attend simulations in the future. An excellent event and I am very glad I attended.”

The Baltics 2028 Simulation map.

Jerad Harper, an instructor and director of regional studies at the Army War College, discusses implications of a participant’s state’s move in Game 1 of the simulation.

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Simulation

Center for Security Policy Studies

Master of International Security

Schar School News October 2022

Inspired By the Care of Mason Nurses

Mary Cunningham — Mon, 02 May 2022 14:27:36 +0000

Inspired By the Care of Mason Nurses Mary Cunningham Mon, 05/02/2022 - 10:27

Family members’ time in hospitals with caring nurses inspired Sarah Ringham to start and continue her nursing education

Caring nurses inspired Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) senior Sarah Ringham at a young age. She saw the impact that warm and compassionate nurses had on her family and knew it was the profession for her.

Ringham aims to be a pediatric oncology nurse so she can support children and families. When she was in elementary school, nurses cared for her sister, who has now been in remission from brain cancer for 13 years. She knows what a difference a great nurse can make and intends to provide the best care.

“I got into nursing by caring for my sister, and not only because of her, but because of the wonderful nurses who cared for her. They were so nice and amazing, and I enjoyed watching them work,” said Ringham. “I want to make it easier for other families in the hospital who are going through the same thing my family went through.”

Her sisters nurses are also a big reason she chose to attend Mason. Ringham says most of the nurses she talked to went to Mason and recommended the program.

Unfortunately, her sister is not the only family member to inspire her future career. During the fall of her senior year (Fall 2021), her stepfather passed away from a breakthrough case of COVID-19 (he caught the virus even though he was vaccinated). This, along with the shift to remote and hybrid learning because of the pandemic, changed her world and she considered leaving the program. She even mentioned the possibility to her professors, who wanted her to stay, but supported her in what was best for her.

“I was this close to dropping out of the nursing program because my family needed me. I was still doing classes and most of my schoolwork, but I was so afraid if I didn’t drop out that it would negatively affect my family,” she said. “My mom told me to stay in school. She said, ‘your dad would be so upset if you left. You’re so close to graduating.’” So Ringham stayed in school and is glad for it.

A New Spark

The loss of her stepfather greatly impacted how she viewed life, especially nursing, and gave her a new motivation for her education.

“I came back with a new mindset that I absolutely had to finish. The new mindset included a new flame to do everything to the best of my ability,” she said.

In addition to participating in the Student Nurses Association and Delta Alpha Pi International Honor Society (academic honor society founded to recognize high-achieving students with disabilities), Ringham spends her time in the Virtual Reality (VR) and Simulation Lab, where her voice is famous. As a Simulation Lab Assistant, she moderates VR and mannequin-based simulations, talking and reacting as the patient, with other students. After a student goes through a scenario, the debrief process includes watching a recording of another person who has completed the scenario, which allows students to see how to improve their practice. The scenario is a recording of Sarah completing the training.

“Hi, My name is Sarah, and I’m going to be your nurse” is her most used line in the scenarios and she has had other students recognize her because of her voice. She has found that she enjoys the teaching and supporting aspects of working in the lab.

“I want to make it easier for other families in the hospital who are going through the same thing my family went through.”

Ringham is glad she committed to her last semester and is excited to graduate in May. She thinks her new attitude is the reason the Nursing faculty awarded her with the Rita M. Carty Academic Achievement Award.

Just like the nurses she encountered, Ringham recommends Mason’s School of Nursing to anyone interested.

“Honestly, do it and give it your all. If you like nursing and medicine, this is the school for you. The faculty are so into student education and finding ways to improve,” said Ringham. “If you want to do nursing, go for it. It’s an amazing field and there’s a lot of great resources at Mason.”

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Spoiler!: Schar School Students Prevent Escalating East China Sea Conflict

bmcclai2 — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 15:52:26 +0000

Spoiler!: Schar School Students Prevent Escalating East China Sea Conflict bmcclai2 Thu, 03/31/2022 - 11:52

In This Story

Lee Roberts

PhD candidate and Army Strategic Intelligence Officer leads the seven-hour simulation.

Disaster averted! Representatives from the U.S., China, and Japan met on March 26 in an attempt to de-escalate the intensifying crisis in the East China Sea. Failure to come to a mutually accepted agreement could have led to deadly conflict involving militaries, endangering millions of civilians.

Didn’t hear about this crisis on the news? That’s because, thankfully, it was a simulation. More than two dozen undergraduate and graduate students at ��AV’s Schar School of Policy and Government participated as diplomats, policymakers, and military leaders during a realistic exercise led by national security experts.

The real-time, seven-hour event presented high-pressure situations for immediate decision-making to avert drastic outcomes. Happily, participants were able to avoid escalating the crisis through diplomatic negotiations and deft military maneuvers.

The simulation, hosted by the Center for Security Policy Studies (CSPS) and led by PhD candidate Lee Roberts, a U.S. Army Strategic Intelligence Officer and former CSPS fellow, was the first in-person crisis simulation in more than two years. Additional simulations are planned for the near future.

Topics

International Security

Simulation

Schar School News March 2022

Disruptors Welcome in the Virtual Reality and Simulation Lab

mthomp7 — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 18:42:36 +0000

Disruptors Welcome in the Virtual Reality and Simulation Lab mthomp7 Fri, 09/24/2021 - 14:42

In This Story

Cheryl Oetjen, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC

Bethany Cieslowski, DNP

Simulation Lab Coordinator Bethany Cieslowski harnesses technology to enhance interprofessional clinical education.

“The learning really comes from the pre- and post-simulation briefings where students receive feedback and learn from the actions that result from critical thinking processes,” says Cieslowski, simulation and VR coordinator.

Bethany Cieslowski joined the College in July 2021 as the Simulation and VR Coordinator, with the mission to re-envision the College’s approach to virtual, augmented, and simulated learning for the interprofessional student body. “Preparing our students for the future of healthcare requires completely new ways of defining a “classroom,” says Cieslowski. “Virtual and augmented reality allow us to bring the learning experience to our students across all our degree programs – delivering hands-on learning in an immersive environment conducive to applying and acquiring skills.”

Cieslowski received a Doctorate in Nursing Practice from Duke University, but she considers simulation and informatics as her passion. She seeks to integrate both into every aspect of nursing to improve the quality of care, provide students with high-quality clinical experiences, and deliver career-ready graduates to the workforce. Her most recent experience prior to joining Mason includes integrating training for virtual health visits and using telehealth technology in the BSN and MSN curriculum – a much-needed skillset for today’s clinicians, given the mainstream adoption of telehealth during the pandemic.

When observing Cieslowski in action, her experience in leading VR and simulation training and debrief is evident. She easily navigates various scenarios—such as teaching students how to triage mass casualties in a ‘low-frequency high consequence’ event, such as a simulated mass shooting, and helping a high school student avert hypoglycemia by assessing the situation and providing adequate carbohydrates to elevate his blood sugar – all in a virtual space.

The simulation technology fits into a backpack – making it logistically and financially possible to prepare students for scenarios that were previously difficult to access. “For example, obstetric and pediatric clinical opportunities are often limited for students– but with simulations, every student can participate in delivering a baby. The technology is not only cool but can help students complete their clinical requirements more efficiently,” says Cheryl Oetjen, interim department chair for the School of Nursing at Mason.

“The technology is not the innovation—the technology enables the innovation,” says Cieslowski. “The learning really comes from the pre- and post-simulation briefings where students receive feedback and learn from the actions that result from critical thinking processes.” She is eager to work with the faculty, staff, and students to bring the full potential of VR and simulation to the College. She looks forward to publicly launching the Virtual Reality and Simulation Lab in the upcoming months and is currently training students, faculty, and staff on the new simulation platform SimX which will be deployed to students throughout the Fall and Spring semesters.

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