CSA Education Courses, Mentor Program and Apprentice Program
The California Simulation Alliance is a leader in faculty development for simulation educators, having trained over 2,500 simulation faculty. CSA courses have an interprofessional focus and are designed for all levels. Following principles of adult learning, all courses are interactive and immersive in nature and support transition of the learner from novice to expert. The CSA courses are preparatory for the Certification as Healthcare Simulation Educator (CHSE) endorsed by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. Check our website regularly for dates and registration information.
If you are interested in the CSA coming to your school or hospital, contact KT Waxman at kt@healthimpact.org
Contact Alexandra Duke at (424) 422-5903 or alexandra@healthimpact.org with questions.
Refund Policy
Courses may be cancelled by CSA prior to the first day of class due to a variety of situations. Notice will be given as far in advance as possible. In cases where CSA cancels a course, a full refund will be given back to the payor. Participants may also cancel their registration prior to the start of the class and request a refund for courses they have paid for. Refunds will be processed in accordance with the following schedule:
- Cancellation 14 days prior to the first day of class: 100% of the course fee will be refunded minus a $10 administrative fee
- Cancellation fewer than 14 days before the first day of class or a no-show: No refund will be given
I. 2024 CSA COURSE CALENDAR
The Master Debriefer Course – Virtual Edition
Wednesdays, 9:00 am to 11:30 am Pacific Time
Seven sessions: October 16, 23, 30; November 6, 13, 20, 27, 2024
Cost $1750 USD, CSA Members receive a 15% discount
REGISTER HERE
Interested in more courses from The Debriefing Academy?
Click HERE to see details for the Academy Archive offerings
2025 CSA COURSE CALENDAR
Advanced Debriefing / Virtual Edition
Friday February 21, 2025
8:00 am – 3:30 pm Pacific Time
Cost: $525 CSA Members/$580 Non-CSA Members/7.5 CEs
REGISTER HERE
Simulation Level 1 Beginner / Virtual Edition
Friday March 28, 2025
8:00 am – 3:30 pm Pacific Time
Cost: $1250 CSA Members/$1500 Non-CSA Members/13 CEs
REGISTER HERE
Advanced Debriefing / In-Person Course
Friday June 6, 2025
8:00 am – 5:00 pm Pacific Time
Location: TBD
Cost: $525 CSA Members/$580 Non-CSA Members/7.5 CEs
REGISTER HERE
2-Day Simulation Intensive Course / Virtual Edition
Thursday June 19 – Friday June 20, 2025
8:00 am – 3:30 pm Pacific Time
Cost: $1375 CSA Members/$1650 Non-CSA Members/13 CEs
REGISTER HERE
Simulation Level 1 Beginner / Virtual Edition
Friday June 20, 2025
8:00 am – 3:30 pm Pacific Time
Cost: $1250 CSA Members/$1500 Non-CSA Members/13 CEs
REGISTER HERE
Advanced Debriefing / Virtual Edition
Friday July 11, 2025
8:00 am – 3:30 pm Pacific Time
Cost: $525 CSA Members/$580 Non-CSA Members/7.5 CEs
REGISTER HERE
Simulation Operations Specialist / In-Person Edition
Thursday August 28 – Friday August 29, 2025
8:00 am – 3:30 pm Pacific Time
Location: Oakland, CA
Cost: $1000 CSA Members/$1100 Non-CSA Members/13 CEs
REGISTER HERE
Advanced Debriefing with Implicit Bias / Virtual Edition
Friday September 12, 2025
8:00 am – 3:30 pm Pacific Time
Cost: $525 CSA Members/$580 Non-CSA Members/7.5 CEs
REGISTER HERE
2-Day Simulation Intensive Course / In-Person Edition
Thursday October 2 – Friday October 3, 2025
8:00 am – 3:30 pm Pacific Time
Location: TBD
Cost: $1375 CSA Members/$1650 Non-CSA Members/13 CEs
REGISTER HERE
The CSA recommends if you are a novice simulationist that you take the following free course prior to enrolling in our courses:
“Essentials in Clinical Simulations Across Health Professions” LINK: https://www.coursera.org/learn/clinicalsimulations
Course Descriptions
LEVEL I TRAINING – Beginner (no experience necessary)
This 1-day course is designed to engage the participant with an interest in simulation-based healthcare training with the basic concepts of simulation as an educational strategy. Using a combination of didactic, interactive and immersive group work, the course provides the beginning simulation user with the basics of high-fidelity simulation, scenario development, debriefing strategies to facilitate learning and the effective use of the available technology. The course is designed to provide a network of support for participants new to simulation through the vast resources in the California Simulation Alliance and can be customized to meet the needs of the group on-site at an individual school or hospital. (6.5 CEs)
LEVEL II SIMULATION INTENSIVE – Beginner/Intermediate
Prerequisite: must have taken Level 1 training or obtain consent of faculty
This 2-day immersion course offers a “jump-start” into simulation-based healthcare education. Participants will learn to apply best practices in high-fidelity simulation through a variety of didactic, interactive and immersive formats. Using a dual focus on academic and practice settings, key theoretical concepts and strategies will be explored to support health care educators in providing safe, effective learning environments. The basics of CSA Level 1 curriculum will be flexed to meet the needs of the group, followed by intensive immersion into Level 3 scenario development and basic debriefing strategies. (13.5 CEs)
LEVEL III TRAINING – Specialty Workshops
Prerequisites: All Level III specialty workshops build on the knowledge and skills learned in previous
courses. Participants will have taken prior courses or have commensurate experience approved by the CSA faculty.
- Basic Debriefing: In this immersive workshop, the participant will have the opportunity to apply debriefing strategies in common situations. Following a brief didactic grounding, an opportunity to practice and receive feedback is provided through the use video clips and role-playing to build beginning competency in debriefing. (6.5 CEs)
- Advanced Debriefing: In this immersive workshop, the participant will build on skills learned in basic debriefing courses. Employing the experiential learning framework and utilizing a series of video clips and “live” simulation experiences depicting common debriefing challenges, the participant will practice and receive feedback in order to expand competency in debriefing. (7.5 CEs)
- Basic Moulage: In this “hands-on” workshop, the participant will examine the value of using moulage in simulation to enhance realism and more effectively engage learners. Participants will further create moulage using recipes and methods provided in the class for direct application to the work setting. (6.5 CEs)
- Simulation Evaluation: In this seminar, learners will review current best practices for assessment and evaluation of simulation activities with special consideration for reliable and valid tools available in the literature. A thorough grounding in feedback, assessment and evaluation theory and practice will be provided, with opportunities for discussion and application to simulation practice. (6.5 CEs)
- Business Planning: In this virtual workshop, participants will learn the components of creating a business case for creating and sustaining a simulation program for both schools and hospitals. (2.5 CEs)
- Accreditation Prep: In this virtual workshop, participants will learn the society for simulation (SSH) accreditation standards and develop a gap analysis and action plan for accreditation readiness. (3.5 CEs)
SIMULATION OPERATIONS SPECIALIST COURSE
This course is designed to develop simulation operations specialists into highly effective and knowledgeable team members. The course includes simulation-specific technical information combined with a broad overview of medical conditions, trauma conditions, human body systems, and medical equipment information. Additionally, simulation-specific content related to ethics, legal, regulatory, and inventory management concepts are included. Learners complete ten hours of on-line Simulation Innovation Resource Center (SIRC) courses and a three-hour self-study manual before attending a two-day on-site training course. Topics covered in the one-day training course include:
- Role of the Operations Specialist
- Technology in Simulation Operations
- Troubleshooting and Maintenance
- Audio-Visual Operations
- Simulation Operations
- Instructional Design & Research
II. Mentor Program
The CSA is offering a structured support program to healthcare faculty who are engaged in simulation education. This program is designed to extend the learning experience for faculty by pairing individual learners with experienced CSA instructors. This approach is supported by recent evidence from the National Council on State Board of Nursing (NCSBN) study results and the National League of Nursing (NLN) Simulation Innovation Resource Center (SIRC) Faculty Development Toolkit. This program works to facilitate the growth of simulation faculty from Novice to Competent instructors in alignment with the Benner theoretical model utilized by the CSA.
Program Details:
A complimentary evaluation of individual needs will be conducted by the CSA faculty including:
- Prioritization of learning needs
- Proposed length of time for mentoring
- Proposed number of hours
Each learner will be presented with a mentoring package to include:
- Time period for mentoring
- Total number of hours
- Assigned Mentor
NOTE:
- The minimum number of hours for mentoring is 5 hours
- Initial mentoring session is generally 30 minutes
- The time for each session is negotiated between the mentor and the mentee (learner)
Cost:
- CSA Members: $100/hour; Non-CSA Members: $125/hour
- Minimum: 5 hours with each hour after this at the hourly rate
- Packages of 20 hours will be discounted by 5%