ABSTRACT
Simulation can be used as a tool in the quest to better understand and improve resilience. The term ‘simulation’ often conjures up a specific application and context of simulation, typically addressing individual or team skills or behaviours, but the field of simulation encompasses a broader array of capabilities with an impressive breadth of possible applications. Simulations can be summative, directed towards an established correct or best practice and designed to determine whether the participant(s) measure up or cross some threshold of competence or mastery related to pre-determined criteria. Simulations can also be formative, directed at exploration and learning. In a formative simulation, there may be a general objective, such as evaluating whether a new patient care space is suitable and ready to be opened for patient care, but there may not be an a priori ‘best’ answer. Either process (formative or summative) can be appropriate in different circumstances, but relative to understanding resilience, the formative process could be particularly valuable.
