Uses of simulation during COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review

Some experts have suggested how to use simulation during the pandemic, and simulation activities were carried out observing COVID-19 restrictions to improve technical and non-technical skills in health professionals. Several papers have been published on this. Through a retrospective review of the literature, we analyzed studies published during the pandemic to assess how simulation was used during this historical period. We conducted a retrospective review of the literature. The search generated 11,375 records. After removing duplicates, 5431 studies were screened. Of the 643 eligible full-texts, 221 were excluded. A total of 422 articles met the inclusion criteria. Half of the 422 included studies were carried out specifically for COVID-19 (211), while 152 (36%) were carried out during the pandemic but for other reasons. The analysis showed that simulation was used during the pandemic, with clear educational and research objectives. Most of the included studies dealt with COVID-19, focusing on high-acuity and critical scenarios but also including technical and non-technical skills. The experience gained from both "COVID-related" and "During COVID" studies could be applied to other settings in the event of urgent training needed for disasters and to tailor simulation courses for retaining technical skills.