IPSS: The Podcast

In this episode, Erin Carn-Bennett hosts and interviews Dr Erin Kritz and Anne Jeffers from Texas Children's Hospital share their innovative rapid response system, rapid response workshop simulation training approaches, and insights into improving pediatric resuscitation and safety culture.
 
Anne Jeffers is an Assistant Professor with Baylor College of Medicine and a pediatric acute care nurse practitioner in the pediatric ICU at Texas Children's Hospital as well as the Associate Medical Director for the Rapid Response System and (imminently assuming the role of) Associate Medical Director of Simulation for the pediatric ICU at Texas Children's Hospital. 
 
Erin Kritz is an Assistant Professor with Baylor College of Medicine and is a pediatric cardiac intensivist as well as the Medical Director for the Rapid Response System at Texas Children's Hospital. She is also the co-chair of the hospital system's CPR committee. She has extensive expertise in pediatric emergency response systems and events, quality improvement, and patient safety. 
 
The Texas Children's Hospital rapid response system covers 4 hospital campuses and approximately 1300 Rapid Response Team events (separate from code activations) annually. As Texas Children's Hospital is the largest pediatric health system in the United States, it is also one of the largest pediatric rapid response systems worldwide. The rapid response workshop was initially created about 10 years ago by Dr. Aarti Bavare and nurse practitioner Jenilea Thomas as a way to provide dynamic, multidisciplinary training in pediatric rapid response.
 
A large part of the workshop is two high fidelity, high risk low frequency event simulations, as well as a low fidelity communications focused simulation. What makes it particularly effective is that it is for both callers and responders and puts participants in both roles, allowing everyone to experience the challenges of both sides of keeping decompensating patients safe.
 
In recent years, Anne and Erin have further adapted the workshop for specific patient populations that may present differently, such as a neutropenic oncology patient who may not mount a fever in the setting of severe infection. At the WFPICCS pre conference workshop 26th September 2026 Anne and Erin are taking the knowledge and experience acquired over the years and have created a 'train the trainer' workshop where healthcare professionals from all disciplines can learn how to create or improve existing rapid response systems from the ground up. 
 
Attendees to the WFPICCS workshop should prepare to be intellectually challenged and learn about a new and innovative simulation approach that rewrites traditional simulation rules and has impressive clinical, cultural and organizational data impacts.
 
IPSS is incredibly proud to have hosted work on the Rapid Response Workshop at Rome IPSSW May 2026 and have been a part of the story to support Erin and Anne on this ongoing and evolving innovation journey.
 
The Rapid Response Workshop meets a huge educational need-training code response teams alongside ward clinical staff. The outcomes speak for themselves clinically, organizationally and culturally. Not only do they not avoid bias of different department clinical staff members, they lean into it respectfully, use it to aid building psychological safety for participants in their course with light humor.
 
The data captured so far backs up transforming mindsets, improving clinical competence, confidence and patient safety.
 
As experienced simulationists, yet new International Pediatric Simulation Society (IPSS) members and IPSSW attendees since 2024, Erin and Anne share key insights into why you should join IPSS and what they have noticed as new members to our international pediatric simulation community!
 
Keywords: pediatric resuscitation, rapid response, simulation training, safety culture, healthcare education, pediatric ICU, CPR coaching, interdepartmental simulation, Texas Children's Hospital, WFPICCS 2026 Melbourne Australia.
 
Sign up to attend Erin and Anne’s workshop at WFPICCS 2026 here!
 
https://www.wfpiccs2026intensivecareasm.com/workshops/
 
W11 on Saturday, September 26 2026
 
Key  topics
 
Rapid response system development and evolution
Simulation training for crisis resource management
Role of CPR coaches in resuscitation
Interdepartmental simulation and culture change
Data and outcomes of simulation-based interventions
Training strategies for low-resource settings
Global collaboration and knowledge sharing in pediatric care
 
Key Quotes:
 
"Everyone supports and lifts each other up" (IPSS)
 
"Training made us recognize sick patients earlier"
 
"CPR coach as a metric of high-quality CPR"
 
Chapters
 
00:00 Introduction to Erin and Anne's work at Texas Children's
 
01:25 Background of Erin Kritz and Anne Jeffers
 
03:44 Getting into simulation: personal stories and motivations
 
05:00 The role of simulation in emergency response training
 
08:58 How IPSS influenced their work and collaboration
 
14:25 Overview of the rapid response workshop and training program
 
20:30 Impact and outcomes of simulation training on patient safety
 
23:48 Adapting training for different hospital systems and needs
 
29:54 Upcoming presentation at WFPICCS Melbourne
 
32:40 Framework and roles of CPR coaches in practice
 
40:26 Quality control and role of CPR coaches during resuscitation
 
43:27 Future directions and global collaboration in pediatric critical careResources
 
World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies (WFPICCS) - https://wfpicc.org/
 
Texas Children's Hospital - https://www.texaschildrens.org/
 
Subscribe and share to keep up with more insightful conversations on pediatric simulation across the globe. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review to help others discover this important content from IPSS: The Podcast!
 
This podcast was made possible by the IPSS Podcast Subcommittee. 
 
Follow us on Instragram @ipss_global 
 
Join us in advancing healthcare simulation globally—your next opportunity begins here!
 
https://www.wfpiccs2026intensivecareasm.com/workshops/ 
 

In this episode, we explore how innovative simulation tools like Emergo can revolutionize disaster response training for healthcare teams. Featuring insights from Audrey Morel, director of the CHUM Simulation Center, we discuss how gamified simulation enhances team coordination, communication, and decision-making during mass casualty incidents.
Subscribe and share to keep up with more insightful conversations on pediatric simulation across the globe. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review to help others discover this important content from IPSS: The Podcast!
This podcast was made possible by the IPSS Podcast Subcommittee. 
Follow us on Instragram @ipss_global 
Join us in advancing healthcare simulation globally—your next opportunity begins here!

Join us for the first episode in Urdu as Jabeen Fayyaz, IPSS President, interviews Dr. Saba Laila, an INSPIRE-IPSS fellow about simulation in Pakistan. 
Bio - Dr.Saba Laila serves as the Head of Department of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Indus Hospital and Health Network, Karachi, Pakistan. She is also the Program Director of Foundation Program of Pediatric Medicine, which is a novel program in the country, introducing simulation -based one year program. She has a passion of training life saving resuscitation workshops and is an AHA instructor for BLS, PALS and ACLS. She is the IPSS-INSPIRE simulation fellow. Her area of interest is disaster management and is the Chair of Hospital's Emergency Response Committee She has a keen interest in developing PEM psychomotor competencies and leadership. She is the Supervisor of College of Physicians and Surgeon Pakistan.
 
Subscribe and share to keep up with more insightful conversations on pediatric simulation across the globe. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review to help others discover this important content from IPSS: The Podcast!
This podcast was made possible by the IPSS Podcast Subcommittee. 
Follow us on Instragram @ipss_global 
Join us in advancing healthcare simulation globally—your next opportunity begins here!

In this episode, Christine and Ingrid explore how extended reality, including virtual and augmented reality, can support caregiver training. Keith Widmeier and Amanda  Manzi share their work developing an XR based training platform to reinforce emergency care skills for caregivers of children with tracheostomies and ventilator dependence.
Subscribe and share to keep up with more insightful conversations on pediatric simulation across the globe. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review to help others discover this important content from IPSS: The Podcast!
This podcast was made possible by the IPSS Podcast Subcommittee. 
Follow us on Instragram @ipss_global 
Join us in advancing healthcare simulation globally—your next opportunity begins here!

Bienvenidos al episodio inaugural del pódcast en español de la International Pediatric Simulation Society!
En esta conversación con el Dr. Eduardo Frias Mantilla, Julian Varas comparte cómo la simulación quirúrgica, la tecnología y la innovación están cambiando la forma en que se enseña y aprende en pediatría en América Latina.
Este episodio explora:- La importancia de la simulación y la tecnología en la formación pediátrica.- La creación e impacto de C1Do1, una plataforma para el entrenamiento y la evaluación de habilidades procedimentales.- Cómo el aprendizaje asincrónico y la inteligencia artificial están transformando la educación médica- Los retos y oportunidades de escalar la educación basada en simulación en el mundo hispanohablante.
- El valor de la comunidad y la colaboración para impulsar el cambio educativo.
- El futuro de la simulación pediátrica en América Latina.
Eduardo Frias: www.linkedin.com/in/eduardofriasmantilla
Julian varas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianvaras/
 
Subscribe and share to keep up with more insightful conversations on pediatric simulation across the globe. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review to help others discover this important content from IPSS: The Podcast!
This podcast was made possible by the IPSS Podcast Subcommittee. 
Follow us on Instragram @ipss_global 
Join us in advancing healthcare simulation globally—your next opportunity begins here!

In this episode, Dr. Samreen Vora and Dr. Isabel Gross discuss the rapidly evolving role of AI in healthcare. Dr. Isabel Gross shares her journey from resident to chair of INSPIRE, her innovative projects with distance simulation, and insights into AI's transformative role in healthcare education.
Subscribe and share to keep up with more insightful conversations on pediatric simulation across the globe. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review to help others discover this important content from IPSS: The Podcast!
This podcast was made possible by the IPSS Podcast Subcommittee. 
Follow us on Instragram @ipss_global 
Join us in advancing healthcare simulation globally—your next opportunity begins here!

In this episode, Dr. Samreen Vora interviews the Keynote speaker at IPSSW 2026 in Rome, Italy - Marientina Gotsis. The conversation explores the innovative intersection of media game design, healthcare, and humanism, highlighting how simulation and playful approaches can transform medical training, patient care, and emotional connection. Marientina Gotsis shares her extensive experience in applying media and game design to health contexts, emphasizing the importance of visual storytelling, emotional intelligence, and scalable solutions.
Subscribe and share to keep up with more insightful conversations on pediatric simulation across the globe. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review to help others discover this important content from IPSS: The Podcast!
This podcast was made possible by the IPSS Podcast Subcommittee. 
Follow us on Instragram @ipss_global 
Join us in advancing healthcare simulation globally—your next opportunity begins here!

Explore how simulation and artificial intelligence are being leveraged to improve critical communication skills in healthcare, address gaps in training, and foster global accessibility.
In this episode Dr. Samreen Vora speaks with Dr. Lauren Rissman as she shares her journey from critical care to simulation-based communication training. They explore the impact of personal experiences on professional practice and educational innovations and share findings from a landmark study on communication concordance between physicians and families. Dr. Rissman tells us about the development and use of AI-supported simulation tools and objective assessment platforms, noting how simulation can bridge training gaps, even for seasoned professionals.
Resources & Links:
Palliative Care Education for Pediatric Critical Care Trainees: A Scoping Review and a Call to Action
Subscribe and share to keep up with more insightful conversations on pediatric simulation across the globe. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review to help others discover this important content from IPSS: The Podcast!
This podcast was made possible by the IPSS Podcast Subcommittee. 
Follow us on Instragram @ipss_global 
Join us in advancing healthcare simulation globally—your next opportunity begins here!

Dr. Samreen Vora interviews Penny Watts and Carmen Turkelson as they share their pathways into healthcare simulation, their leadership roles within INACSL, and the importance of standards of best practice. Discover how teamwork, mentorship, and global collaboration drive innovation and improve patient care through simulation.
Subscribe and share to keep up with more insightful conversations on pediatric simulation across the globe. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review to help others discover this important content from IPSS: The Podcast!
This podcast was made possible by the IPSS Podcast Subcommittee. 
Follow us on Instragram @ipss_global 
Resources & Links:
INACSL Website
Standards of Best Practice for Simulated Education
Join us in advancing healthcare simulation globally—your next opportunity begins here!

This episode is recorded live at the end of day 2 of the International Pediatric Simulation conference IPSSW 2026 Rome, Italy 4-7 May 2026.
Erin Carn-Bennett interviews first time IPSSW attendee Dr Eduardo Frias from Canada about his simulation story which began in Mexico as a trainee doctor. Eduardo speaks 4 languages and when he initially moved to Canada he applied for simulation technician roles due to his newfound passion for simulation after leaving Mexico. Eduardo shares his IPSS and simulation story and all about his innovation project “Sim Gym” which has potential to give back globally to the simulation and healthcare community through humanised and accessible technology. Join Erin and Eduardo as they meet as strangers and leave as IPSS friends both inspired and hopeful from this amazing presentation and work. Welcome to IPSS Eduardo!
Dr. Eduardo Frias is a Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition Fellow at McGill University, with a strong academic focus on medical simulation and healthcare education.
He is an active member of the Centre for Pediatric Simulation at the Montreal Children’s Hospital and a senior instructor in the Disaster Simulation Program at the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal, where he has also served as a program development advisor, supporting the growth and strategic implementation of simulation curricula. His work extends internationally through collaborations with institutions across Latin America, focusing on scalable and context-adapted simulation-based education.
Dr. Frias leads the Sim Gym program at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, a simulation-based initiative that emphasizes deliberate practice with asynchronous evaluation to develop both technical and non-technical skills, enhancing clinical performance and patient safety.
Dr. Frias has received recognition for his contributions to medical education, including a Mention of Honour in Education at the Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal and the Dr. Sadok Besrour Award for his innovative educational projects with direct impact on patient care.