What's happening in Tasmania?

TASETN project

The Tasmanian Anaesthetic Education and Training Network (TASETN) project – a FATES funded initiative driving excellence in Simulation Education in the state of Tasmania.

The TASETN project has been extended until 30 April 2026, allowing for the completion of critical activities and preparation for the evaluation phase. This extension ensures that all planned objectives can be achieved effectively, including seeking continued funding of our Nurse Educator positions. 

Our project team is finalising the acquisition of essential simulation equipment and completing invoicing processes, and the final phase of education and training is being locked in. This includes the completion of Graduate Certificate level coursework, a possible paediatric crisis management course, and interstate simulation facility visits. 

The visits to simulation facilities in other states will provide valuable insights into how other hospitals address challenges faced by simulation staff, such as resource limitations and interprofessional coordination. It will also provide opportunities for interstate networking. 

Our final evaluation and reporting phase is scheduled to commence in February 2026. The Project Officer will visit each site to collaborate with Governance Committee members to plan and execute evaluation activities. All THS reporting must be submitted to ANZCA by no later than 30 April 2026 to meet contractual obligations.  

As the project nears its conclusion, ANZCA is actively advocating for continued funding of our three Clinical Nurse Educator positions from the Tasmanian state government. Totalling 1.5 FTE, we see this continued funding as a small investment to keep three critical positions that underpin the ability of the sim program and state-wide network to continue to deliver at the current level. These roles are vital for maintaining the program's current level of success and ensuring its sustainability. Without this funding, the program risks regressing to pre-project levels, which would undermine the progress made. We appreciate the TRC’s support of this funding application. 

As the end of the year approaches, ANZCA would like to take this opportunity to acknowledgment the contributions, dedication and expertise of our TASETN team. 

Our Clinical Project Lead, Lia Freestone has been the driver behind the success of this project. Her commitment to improving access to simulation education and training in Tasmania, and to creating opportunities for our talented educators and staff at RHH, LGH, NWRH and MCH to engage in interprofessional collaboration is commendable.  

Bruce Newman has provided essential guidance and support to the program. Having a state-wide TRC voice has been of great benefit to the governance of our project. 

Our Simulation Leads, Harry, Justine, and Holly, have been instrumental in pushing the program forward, often creating learning opportunities despite time and staffing constraints; and our Clinical Nurse Educators: Angela, Emily, and Angie have played a critical role in ensuring the program's success by coordinating activities, driving quality and safety improvements, and supporting Simulation Leads to deliver first class learning experiences. 

We look forward to what we can achieve in 2026. 

Rebecca Harding

ANZCA FATES Project Officer