In this episode of SimCast, Lawrencet and Tony welcome nurse and simulation educator Sophie May to explore playing with purpose through games, escape rooms and simulation. Sophie shares her route into low-cost educational game design, before the team put their cardiology knowledge to the test with her prototype board game, Pulse of Knowledge. Their conversation explores inclusion, clinical reasoning, peer learning and the relationship between game design and learning outcomes.

The team also try a picture-based card game to explore personal meaning and connection, followed by Lawrence and Tony’s Deck of Dodgy Debriefs. Through practical examples, they discuss psychological safety, common debriefing errors and approaches to reflective conversation. Sophie shares her developing design framework and advice on prototyping, playtesting and evaluating learning beyond enjoyment. Watch the games in action and gather ideas for your own teaching.

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In this episode of SimCast, we welcome Mandy Wilford from the University of Staffordshire to explore building a culture of simulation across higher education. Drawing on her experience in nursing, NHS education and the commercial sector, Mandy shares how collaboration, leadership support and structured staff development have supported simulation across healthcare and policing. We discuss preparing learners for simulation, developing facilitators and adapting debriefing approaches to different professional contexts.

The conversation also explores authenticity, the language of fidelity and the importance of involving technologists in simulation design. Mandy shares examples of students designing, facilitating and debriefing their own scenarios, revealing learning needs and challenging assumptions about their priorities. Whether you teach, support simulation delivery or lead educational change, this episode offers practical ideas for developing your colleagues, strengthening student partnership and building support within your institution.

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In this episode of SimCast, Tony Jermy and Lawrence Hill welcome Helen Jarratt and Annie Constant from MPFT to explore organisational readiness for simulation-based learning. They trace the development of an early idea into a dedicated simulation suite, explaining how workforce engagement, leadership support and persistence shaped provision across a large, geographically dispersed community trust.

The discussion covers lessons from poorly attended sessions, the move towards bespoke support for clinical teams and the use of simulation within recruitment. Helen and Annie explain how SCORS provided an honest baseline, informed practical improvements and demonstrated progress in organisational readiness. They also explore faculty development, quality assurance, investment in staff and future plans for satellite facilities, streamed learning and simulation-informed career pathways.

#SimCast #podcast #simulation #clinicalsimulation #highereducation