ABSTRACT
The authors present the concepts of simulation and its utilization in pediatrics. Simulation in medicine is a teaching method that has not yet been developed in Europe and has not spread in pediatrics in France. Motivations for simulation are first and foremost ethical: "Never the first time on patients!" Simulation also provides benefits in teaching communication skills and theoretical concepts. It is an essential means to maintain patient safety by limiting the risk of errors. It covers teaching procedures requiring realistic models such as in teaching communication and crisis resource management. Simulation can also be used for teaching disclosure of bad news, using actors. Simulation skills are acquired during debriefing, when the supervisor acts as a facilitator. Evaluation is mandatory in simulation, dependent on the how realistic the models are and on the performance of a procedure or multidisciplinary team management. Performance can be objectively assessed only with validated tools. Simulation will become a mandatory teaching method in medicine.
