The nursing profession is ever evolving with novel developments in medicine and new advances in technology, including the application of virtual simulation for nursing education. For years Sentinel U® has stood at the helm, guiding the field as it adopts this highly interactive mode of learning. We are now poised to raise the bar another notch, with input from the founding members of our Sentinel U Thought Leadership Advisory Council.

We’ve tapped eight independent experts from nursing, academia, research and development to guide the company as it continues to develop industry-leading and effective virtual nursing simulation programs. Each council member will serve a two-year commitment, providing their perspectives on current popular topics such as the future of simulation integration in nursing education. In addition, the council will provide valuable feedback and recommendations on Sentinel U’s newest simulations and products.

They are some of the greatest minds in the field, and I am proud to introduce you to them:

  • Michelle L. Aebersold, Ph.D., RN, CHSE, FAAN, a clinical professor at the University of Michigan School of Nursing. Dr. Aebersold is an XR (Extended Reality) Faculty Innovator in Residence through the University of Michigan XR Initiative at the Center for Academic Innovation and developed the Simulation Model to Improve Learner and Health Outcomes (SMILHO).
  • K. David Bodily M.S., RN, CHSE, is program director for ReNEW and RN-BSN at the University of Wyoming’s Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing. Bodily provides simulation consultation across the country, including serving as a manuscript reviewer for the journal Clinical Simulation in Learning. He received the 2020 Wyoming Nurses Association’s “Inspiring Our Future Nurses Award.”
  • David Byres, DNP, MSN, BA, RN, CHE, is president and CEO of the British Columbia Provincial Health Services Authority and an adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia School of Nursing in Vancouver. Dr. Byres has over 25 years of clinical and leadership experience in the health sector, previously serving as chief nursing executive for the Canadian Ministry of Health.
  • Salam Daher, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in Informatics at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Her research focuses on using computer graphics and virtual and augmented reality to improve training, especially in healthcare simulation. Dr. Daher developed a new class of augmented reality patient simulations called Physical-Virtual Patients (PVP) while completing her doctorate.
  • Tammye Erdmann, M.S., BSN, BScIt, CHSE, is director of Clinical Learning Services at St. Luke’s Health System in Boise, Idaho. With a focus on curriculum design and simulation, she helps lead St. Luke’s simulation team develop alternative modalities to meet the needs of learners during the pandemic. Erdmann is co-author of a study on The Power of Simulation in Supporting Healthcare Team Performance.
  • Martina Harris, Ed.D., RN, is director of the Registered Nursing Program at Chattanooga State Community College and assistant dean of Nursing and Allied Health programs. In addition, Dr. Harris has served as an officer of the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL). She was appointed to the Tennessee Board of Nursing in 2020.
  • Amber Kool, DNP, RN, is the director of Curriculum and Instruction for Arizona College of Nursing. To earn her Doctor of Nursing Practice in Educational Leadership, Dr. Kool completed a capstone project on “Virtual Simulation: Impact on Clinical Judgment.” She is passionate about educating nursing students and finding innovative ways to assist faculty with learning strategies.
  • Debi Martoccio, DNP, RN, is the vice president and COO of AdventHealth Connerton. The specialty hospital is one of just a few long-term acute care facilities in Florida with an operating room and Intensive Care Unit. Prior to her work in hospital administration, Dr. Martoccio is credited with establishing the Nursing Research Residency Program at the University of South Florida College of Nursing.

It speaks volumes that this group of highly respected professionals have committed their time and energy to help us further advance the field of healthcare education and training through simulation.

To get to know our Sentinel U Thought Leadership Advisory Council, please visit https://www.sentinelu.com/about-sentinelu/advisory-council/