Building a simulation center: Key design strategies and considerations

Development of a healthcare simulation facility is complex and multifaceted. The task requires the design (form) to serve the education, research, and assessment needs (function) of the simulation program. Form must meet function. There is no "one-size-fits-all" solution. A deliberate process that accounts for the multiple steps and parties involved will likely yield a facility that will meet the mission of the program. These steps involve planning as well as highly technical expertise. Involving parties with experience will help mitigate risk related to developing a facility that falls short of expectations and need. A good understanding of a program's mission, its curricular needs, learner and faculty skill, and budgetary constraints are foundational elements in developing a well-informed facility. It is important to appreciate that the facility is more than walls but rather hallways that determine the flow, rooms and adjacencies that create educational isolation, room types that serve both the simulation activity itself and the operational aspects to support that activity pre-, intra-, and postsimulation. Equipment selection and audiovisual design play an equally important role in function. While the process, especially in cases of large facilities, can be overwhelming, understanding the process will increase the likelihood that the facility will meet functional needs.