Dr. Mariani receives simulation award

Dr. Bette Mariani (right) received her academic award from INACSL's President, Carol Durham.

Bette Mariani, PhD, RN, (right) assistant professor of Nursing, was honored by the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation & Learning (INACSL) with its 2015 INACSL Excellence in Academia Award during the 14th Annual INACSL Conference in Atlanta, Ga., on June 12, 2015. She received the award from INACSL President Carol Durham. Dr. Mariani was celebrated by her peers for her outstanding enthusiasm, creativity and innovation in the delivery and dissemination of simulation based education.

“Clinical simulation is important for the education of our students because it helps us to prepare nurses to enter a challenging profession. Providing safe, quality care for patients is essential,” Dr. Mariani observes. She has conducted multiple studies to assess this interactive teaching and learning strategy for millennial learners. She aims not only to enhance their skills, but to make a difference in their learning outcomes of clinical judgment and reasoning—critical elements in nursing practice.

Dr. Mariani explores the importance of structured debriefing on student learning; the effectiveness of simulation for the teaching of quality and safety, including for medication administration; and the use of standardized patients (SPs) with disabilities to assess the attitudes of undergraduates before and after their experience with SPs.