This article shows how simulation can be modified and adapted to benefit higher education institutions (HEIs) in a variety of situations. These situations can involve the engagement of service users (SUs) and moulage, or application of make-up to simulate clinical presentations, to ensure skill enhancement, ultimately to support and empower students so they can achieve their potential. This article describes a unique collaboration between staff at an HEI and SUs, who have worked together in simulation activities. The development of simulation using SUs is at the heart of developing nursing student education and recruitment. It has created communities of practice working across traditional departmental boundaries to provide innovative learning opportunities for students. This collaboration links to the political imperative to improve education in the health and social care sector, highlights the integration of skills development into theory, focuses on person-centred care and demonstrates how the HEI produces a compassionate and caring workforce.
Keywords: moulage; nursing management; service users; simulation.
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