Hogg MAST head, NLN Leadership program

Hannah Hogg serves as director of the Mississippi Academy for Simulation Training (MAST) at UMMC. A Class of 2012 Traditional BSN graduate, she primarily teaches as an instructor in the Jackson Accelerated BSN program.

MAST was developed in 2017 in response to a statewide survey of simulation programs in Mississippi which revealed a clear need to provide best practices training in simulation education to the 23 nursing schools and programs across the state. The goal of MAST is to provide statewide simulation educator training while developing common benchmarks for simulation education.

Since it’s initiation, MAST has already impacted over 300 nurse educators in Mississippi. After taking on the director role last October, Hogg has started her first cohort of 18 participants. Participants are nominated by their dean to participate in the 10-week online training course.

The course is broken up into self-paced modules and covers the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) Health care Simulation Standards of Best Practice. Participants range in simulation and nursing education experience so MAST begins with a review of simulation theories and progresses through the simulation development process to evaluation of learners and the experience. It involves individual assignments, discussion boards, and quizzes with the quiz questions exposing participants to questions similar to the Certified Health care Simulation Educator (CHSE) exam.

Through participation in MAST, Mississippi has an established network of nurse educators trained in the fundamentals of simulation pedagogy. Dr. Alaina Herrington, current PI of the grant generously supported by the Robert M. Hearin Foundation, shared “I am excited to see this grant continue to have an impact around the state. In the last few years, a number of new educators have entered the nursing education workforce and are seeking guidance in implementing simulation best practices.”  

Hogg was also recently selected to participate in the 2023 National League of Nursing (NLN) Simulation Leadership Development for Simulation Educators Program which is designed for the experienced simulation nurse educator wishing to assume a leadership role in simulation. Participants focus on maximizing their leadership potential to advance simulation initiatives in nursing education and practice.

She is currently working with simulation educators from across the country to examine issues in simulation as well improve curricular integration. Her project focuses specifically on assisting undergraduate faculty to incorporate simulation in the classroom beyond the traditional “manikin” approach often utilized. Hogg attended the program orientation meeting in Washington, D.C., and will return for an intensive leadership retreat as well as the NLN Education Summit.

“It was refreshing to meet with other simulation educators who are just as passionate about simulation in nursing to discuss how we can continue to expand on current knowledge and practice," said Hogg. "I look forward to sharing my project at the end of the year with our faculty here at the School of Nursing to expand simulation.”

For more information about the MAST program, visit the Mississippi Academy for Simulation Training website.