Learning together in SimUL: A first for paediatric nursing and medical students

A recent interprofessional simulation session brought together nursing students specialising in paediatrics and third-year medical students for a shared learning experience. This marked the first time this type of integrative teaching has been delivered across the two groups, offering students a structured and supportive environment to engage with realistic clinical situations. A total of 40 students participated.

Students were immersed in two original and purpose-built scenarios: an adolescent admitted to the emergency department with a diabetic coma; and a more complex case involving Prader–Willi syndrome, focusing on behavioral challenge and non-verbal communication in the context of self-harm and fracture. Set within the realistic infrastructure of SimUL, these scenarios required students not only to apply clinical knowledge, but also to navigate communication with team members and emotional decision-making.

Beyond clinical management, the session emphasized key transversal skills, such as interprofessional collaboration, communication in high-stress situations, family-centred care, and delivering difficult news with empathy. It allowed students to experiment, reflect, and adjust their approach in a safe setting. Moreover, the interprofessional simulations helped students better understand complementary roles within health care teams and how to integrate their contributions more effectively in complex clinical situations.

‟ Students’ feedback showed that they valued the simulations for the insight they gained into each other’s professional realities, including the challenges and emotional dimensions of care. Overall, the session made the complementarity of roles very tangible.”

Marie Friedel

Full Professor of Nursing Sciences

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Building on positive feedback from students, interprofessional simulation sessions are now being planned for coming semesters, with the intention of extending participation to additional student groups. In parallel, simulation training will be offered to teaching staff across relevant programmes from September 2026 to support the continued development of integrative teaching approaches.

From left to right: Dr Daniele Privitera, Dr Marianne Becker, Professor Marie Friedel, and Dr Carine de Beaufort