Using Simulation as an Investigative Methodology in Researching Competencies of Clinical Social Work Practice: A Scoping Review

Abstract

This article reports a scoping review designed to synthesize current literature that used simulation as an investigative methodology (simulation-based research; SBR) in researching practice competencies in clinical social work. Following Arksey and O’Malley’s scoping review framework, 24 articles were included in this scoping review. The majority of articles reported SBR studies conducted in Canada and the U.S. and were published in the last 10 years, signifying that this is a burgeoning area of research in clinical social work. Areas of clinical competencies included professional decision-making (33%), the role of cognition and emotion (21%), attending to culture and diversity (21%), and others, such as supervision skills (8%). Using qualitative (46%), quantitative (42%), and mixed methods (13%) in research design, more than half of the SBR studies reported in the selected articles used live actors (54%) to simulate a realistic practice situation for research. Selected articles also offered both benefits and limitations of SBR in social work. We offer suggestions for when to use SBR for research on clinical social work practice and strengthening a collaboration between clinicians and researchers in advancing practice-informed research.

Beyond multiple choice: Clinical simulation as a rigorous and inclusive method for assessing genetic counseling competencies

“…There are various guidelines and standards of best practice for the development and use of simulation and debriefing (Lewis et al., 2017), some of which are broad and others which pertain to specific fields of practice. Simulation is used widely in the training and maintenance of certification for a variety of healthcare professions such as physicians/residents (Motola et al., 2013), nurses (MacLean et al., 2017), social workers (Asakura et al., 2021; Logie et al., 2013), occupational and physical therapists (Bennett et al., 2017; Mori et al., 2015), audiologists (Alanazi & Nicholson, 2023), and psychologists/psychiatrists (Kühne et al., 2018). The Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) are used in various fields to evaluate trainees' specific skills at multiple stations in which trained actors portray patients for brief encounters (Khan et al., 2013).…”

Designing and Conducting Healthcare Simulations: Contributions From Social Work

“…Inspired by the pedagogical and outcome-based benefits of simulation in healthcare education, simulation has been increasingly introduced into social work teaching and assessment to prepare social work learners for effective and ethical practice [2]. In social work, simulation "generally refers to a situation where a student or a practitioner engages with a trained actor (i.e., often known as "standardized patient," or SP) or a virtual reality program that portrays a well-designed character and/or practice scenario" [3]. Over the last decade, simulations have been increasingly employed as pedagogical approaches to training students before they begin their field placements [4].…”