The leadership of the University of Ottawa Skills and Simulation Centre (uOSSC) wishes to announce the good news that its status as fully accredited has successfully been renewed by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
The uOSSC was recently granted the full five-year accreditation, and found to be fully adherent on 29 standards and partially adherent on only two standards. This places the facility among a select group of high-performing accredited centres.
The accomplishment reflects the hard work of the uOSSC and their commitment to advancing patient care and interprofessional education via simulation-based education.
Dr. Vicki LeBlanc, director of the uOSSC, says the Centre has implemented policies and plans to meet the two partially adherent standards, those of formal peer feedback for instructors and consistent course evaluation.
“The Royal College’s report will help us encourage greater adoption of best practices in terms of the standards,” she says. “The reviewers also made a number of valuable recommendations that we will carefully consider as we continue to develop and grow simulation-based education at our institution.”
One of the strengths highlighted in the College’s report is the support of the parent institutions, the Faculty of Medicine and The Ottawa Hospital. Dr. LeBlanc explains that she and her team work diligently with all parties involved to ensure their commitment to addressing the matters faced by the centre.
“I thank them all for their continued support,” she says. “Overcoming these challenges will have an important impact on patient care.”
As a Canadian body, the review board consists of peers who themselves are working in this country’s health-care system. The standards set by the Royal College are recognized and respected internationally, and are accepted as best practice. The accreditation process also encourages simulation centres in Canada to carry out solid research into how best to implement simulation-based education. The uOSSC was noted as being a leader in simulation-based education research.
“Our standing with the Royal College places our centre in the upper rankings of simulation centres in Canada. In fact, the uOSSC is one of only 15 accredited simulation centres in Canada,” Dr. LeBlanc explains.
She says the achievement speaks to the calibre of education offered to its diverse participants.
“We are proud of not only meeting but in some cases exceeding the standards of what is expected of a simulation centre in Canada, by a body recognized globally for those standards,” says Dr. LeBlanc. “Participants are learning from a place functioning at a top level of expectation.”
