Presenter

Cheryl A. Thomas, MSN, BSOL, RN, CCRN, CHSE has worked in a variety of specialties within her nursing career at Yale New Haven Hospital, including Oncology, Medical Intensive Care, and as a Nursing Professional Development Specialist. She received her MSN in Nursing Education from University of Phoenix where her thesis work focused on design, implementation, data collection, and assessment of the first in situ simulation program. The original design included specialty areas of critical care, trauma and adult emergency departments at Yale New Haven Hospital. Cheryl’s contributions post-graduation within her role as a Nursing Professional Development Specialist focused on implementing simulation programs in the nursing onboarding process throughout Yale New Haven Hospital. Cheryl also created specialty programs within each service line including critical care, medical/surgical, oncology services, pediatrics, and procedural areas. The simulations were embedded into a larger nursing orientation program that Cheryl designed and employed that continues to grow within the health system. Cheryl now includes a curriculum-based, virtual reality, interprofessional simulation program for experienced nurses. Additionally, Cheryl also works as simulation faculty at Quinnipiac University supporting the undergraduate nursing education program.