About CAN-Sim
The Canadian Alliance of Nurse Educators Using Simulation (CAN-Sim) is a national organization whose vision is excellence in simulation education and research through networking. Their mission is to connect nurse educators and allied health partners from across Canada and beyond to share knowledge, resources, and expertise in simulation education and research. Guided by core values of collaboration,mentorship, innovation, and scholarship, CAN-Sim has established a Research and Innovation Grants program to build capacity for nursing simulation research across Canada and internationally.
Congratulations, Dr. Virani
We are proud to congratulate Dr. Anila Virani, PhD, RN, of Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, British Columbia, as the first-ever recipient of the CAN-Sim Innov2Learn Research and Innovation Grant. Her project, AISimSpeak: An AI-Powered Simulation Platform for Nursing Education, was selected by CAN-Sim and awarded $2,500 in funding. We warmly greet Dr. Virani on her proposal and celebrate the vision she brings to nursing education.
About AISimSpeak
Effective communication and clinical decision-making are among the most essential, and most difficult, skills to teach in nursing education. Students often enter clinical settings without adequate opportunities to practice these competencies in a safe, realisticc environment. Dr. Virani’s project directly addresses this gap. AISimSpeak is an open-source, AI-powered, voice-based web platform designed to give nursing students meaningful practice in communication, patient assessment, and clinical reasoning. Grounded in the Virtual Patient Nursing Design Model (vpNDM), the platform will be tested across three institutions: Thompson Rivers University, Cambrian College, and Nipissing University, beginning in Winter 2026. The study unfolds in three phases: platform development, usability testing with nursing students, and a full effectiveness evaluation with enrolled learners. By providing a versatile, low-barrier, and openly accessible tool, AISimSpeak aims to reduce the inequalities created by placement constraints, limited access to standardized patients, and the high costs of traditional simulation infrastructure.
Curious about the details? Here is the abstract of Dr. Virani’s proposal:
Effective communication and clinical decision-making are essential competencies in nursing practice. However, students often feel apprehensive about practicing these skills due to limited opportunities to engage in such practices within a safe and realistic environment. The proposed project addresses this gap by providing an open-source, AI-powered, voice-based web platform, AISimSpeak, that offers students opportunities to practice communication, assessment, and clinical reasoning skills. The platform is grounded in the Virtual Patient Nursing Design Model (vpNDM) and the related assignments are based on the Virtual Patient Nursing Activity Model (vpNAM). This three-phased study entails: Phase 1) the development of the platform, Phase 2) usability testing to improve the platform with 5 to 7 nursing students, and Phase 3) testing the effectiveness of the platform with end users enrolled in nursing courses at TRU, Cambrian College, and Nipissing University starting in Winter 2026.
A Collaboration Built on Shared Resources
The partnership between Innov2Learn and CAN-Sim extends directly into the classroom. Together, we have co-developed clinical simulation scenarios available to nursing programs across the country. One such scenario, Care of the Deteriorating Patient with Septic Shock, places senior nursing students in a medical-surgical unit. They must assess a postoperative patient, recognize early signs of sepsis, initiate appropriate protocols, and communicate effectively with an interprofessional team as the patient’s condition progressively deteriorates. The scenario is available in both English and French. It incorporates several Innov2Learn simulated medical devices, including our simulated thermometer, glucometer, and pulse oximeter, bringing an added layer of realism to the experience. Developed by educators from Queen’s University, Durham College, the University of Ottawa, Centennial College, Cambrian College, and the College of Nursing and Midwifery of Ghana, this scenario is a testament to what cross-institutional collaboration can produce. Looking ahead, this same clinical scenario is set to come to life in a new format: a Virtual Simulation Game (VSG). The VSG will bring the deteriorating patient scenario into an interactive digital experience. It offers students an engaging and accessible complement to traditional high-fidelity simulation, fully aligned with Innov2Learn’s mission to bridge the gap between theory and practice.
Why Innov2Learn Funds This Kind of Research
At Innov2Learn, our purpose is to elevate learning to its full potential. We believe that achieving this goal goes beyond the tools we build. It means actively contributing to the broader ecosystem of innovation in education. By funding research not necessarily tied to our own products, we affirm that our commitment to better learning is genuine. Dr. Virani’s work is exactly the kind of initiative we are proud to support: innovative, equitable, and grounded in the real needs of nursing students and educators. We look forward to following the progress of AISimSpeak and celebrating its impact on nursing education. Want to learn more about how Innov2Learn supports simulation-based learning? Explore our scenarios, webinars, and simulation devices, or read about us.