Table 2.

Pillars of long-term retention of the skills acquired after simulation training.

Follow-up assessments	Schedule follow-up assessments at regular intervals (e.g., 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years) after the initial simulation training to gauge the retention of knowledge and skills.
Comparison with control groups	Include control groups of individuals who did not receive simulation training to compare their performance with those who did. This allows for a more robust assessment of long-term retention.
Standardized assessments	Use standardized and validated assessment tools to measure the retention of specific knowledge and skills taught during simulation training.
Clinical performance	Evaluate participants' clinical performance in real patient care settings to assess the application of skills learned through simulation training.
Self-assessment and reflection	Encourage participants to self-assess their knowledge and skills periodically and reflect on their performance in real clinical scenarios. Self-assessment can provide insights into perceived retention.
Feedback and debriefing	Conduct feedback sessions and debriefing with participants to discuss their experiences and any challenges faced when applying simulation-trained skills in practice.
Longitudinal studies	Consider conducting longitudinal studies that track participants' performance and patient outcomes over an extended period to assess the sustained impact of simulation training.
Maintenance training	Offer maintenance or refresher training sessions to reinforce and update the knowledge and skills acquired during the initial simulation training.
Peer review and feedback	Encourage peer review and feedback among healthcare professionals to provide insights into the retention and application of simulation-based training in clinical practice.
Patient outcomes	Assess the impact of simulation-based training on patient outcomes, such as reduced complications, improved recovery rates, or enhanced patient satisfaction, over the long term.