Preparing teams for moments that matter: Simulation at MultiCare

By Chris Ceresa and Meredith Bailey

MultiCare’s Simulation Program gives frontline team members a safe space to practice managing complex, high-stakes situations before they encounter them in care settings. Through realistic scenarios, employees — both clinical and nonclinical — build confidence, strengthen teamwork, sharpen critical thinking and prepare for moments when seamless coordination and clear communication matter most.

Led by educators certified through the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, the simulation team works with leaders across MultiCare to design simulations grounded in real-world challenges, such as responding to an unexpected cardiac arrest. Each scenario reflects situations our teams may face, helping them practice technical skills and decision-making under pressure.

In 2025, the simulation team designed and conducted over 600 simulations for employees across our organization, from nurses to environmental services professionals. Beyond developing simulations, this team of 12 has trained more than 400 people across MultiCare to be simulation facilitators, enabling units to deliver basic simulations and trainings on-site.

Research shows this work is making a difference. A recent study of newly licensed registered nurses at MultiCare found that:

• 72 percent of novice nurses who participated in a simulation showed significant increases in self-efficacy
• 99.4 percent felt psychologically safe discussing challenges, decision-making and emotions during post-simulation debrief sessions

In 2025, funds from MultiCare Foundations supported the purchase of an advanced AI mannequin that can move, talk and mimic symptoms of medical emergencies, increasing the realism and learning value of simulations.

Watch the video above to learn how MultiCare’s Simulation Program helps team members strengthen skills, build resilience and reinforce a culture of safety and teamwork.