A simple role playing exercise could be the key to better preparing future healthcare professionals for high-pressure clinical situations, according to new research led by Aimee Larson, DMSc, PA-C, clinical associate professor and program director of Physician Assistant Studies at Canisius University.
The study, published in the June 2025 edition of “Clinical Simulation in Nursing,” examined 466 students across seven health professions and found that those who practiced healthcare communication through role playing exercises showed statistically significant improvements in confidence when using TeamSTEPPS (Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety). TeamSTEPPS is an evidence-based framework used nationwide to improve healthcare team performance and reduce medical errors through better communication.
“Our findings suggest that incorporating role playing into interprofessional education significantly enhances students’ confidence using critical communication strategies before they ever reach the clinical environment,” Larson says. “It demonstrates the value of experiential learning as we prepare students for the collaborative demands of modern healthcare.”
The Christ the King Chapel Faith Community and the Jesuits of Western New York invite all students, faculty, staff, colleagues, alumni, and members of the Ignatian family to celebrate the Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, on Thursday, July 31.
The celebration begins with Mass at 12:05 p.m. in the Chapel, followed by the annual “Mini Iggy Fest” in Bart Mitchell Quad. An outdoor lunch will be provided by Cheesy Chick and the Ice Cream Men food trucks.
The Mass will include a special rededication of a historic statue of St. Ignatius, highlighting the rich heritage of Jesuit ministry in Buffalo. University Chaplain Rev. Fred Betti, SJ, secured the Jesuit artwork from the former St. Ann’s Jesuit Church on the East Side before its closure and sale. Fr. Betti carefully refinished the century-old statue, which stood in the high altar of St. Ann’s for more than 100 years, ensuring it will have a new home in the Canisius University Chapel.
All members of the university community are welcome to attend this meaningful celebration of our Jesuit heritage.
Submitted by: Rev. Fred Betti, SJ, University Chaplain
Canisius University is taking faculty and staff ‘out to the ballgame’ on Wednesday, August 20, when the Buffalo Bisons take on the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. The Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day kicks off at 1:00 p.m. at Sahlen Field.
Microsoft Teams offers many of the same collaboration tools as Zoom plus additional features including seamless integration with Outlook calendar, no time limits on meetings, department/office chat groups (called Chats) and sharing groups (called Teams) to quickly share important documents amongst members.
To help ensure a smooth transition, faculty and staff are encouraged to:
Faculty and staff still have access to the free version of Zoom, however, please note that it has certain limitations. Learn more about these limitations here. Additional information and resources can be found here.
Technology at a University can be a bit daunting, especially for those that are just starting their academic careers. Luckily, there are plenty of resources for Students at Canisius:
A companion guide to the D2L Self-Paced Training for Faculty and Staff, this Wiki Page is geared to Students and introduces them to D2L and provides some help. There is no need to add a link to the Self-Paced Guide as it is available on the D2L Homepage:
Introduction to D2L informational card at the top of the D2L Homepage and Instructional Video.D2L Self-Paced Training notecard, near the bottom of the D2L Homepage.
Part of being a student at Canisius also means being a creator rather than just being a consumer. As such, students have multiple different choices when it comes to creating video presentations.
And of course, Students can always contact Helpdesk for any technology or software related question by:
Visiting the Helpdesk in-person in the basement of Horan-O’Donnell 016 during normal business hours
Calling 716-888-8340
Emailing helpdesk@canisius.edu
Did we miss something? Contact COLI at coli@canisius.edu. We will update the post as needed.
Questions about how the above technologies can be used in your course? Contact helpdesk@canisius.edu.
