What does CHSE stand for?

CHSE stands for Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator. It is a professional credential awarded by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH) to educators who demonstrate expertise in designing, facilitating, debriefing, and evaluating healthcare simulation. CHSE is the standard certification for nursing simulation faculty in the United States.

What is CHSE certification and who awards it?

CHSE — Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator — is awarded by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH). It is the premier credential demonstrating that a healthcare educator has the expertise to design, implement, debrief, and evaluate high-quality simulation programs. For nursing faculty and simulation lab coordinators, CHSE certification is increasingly expected by academic employers and accrediting bodies.

What are the requirements to sit for the CHSE exam?

To sit for the CHSE certification exam, candidates must have: (1) at least two years of experience in healthcare simulation education within the past five years, (2) current engagement in a healthcare simulation educator role, and (3) a current healthcare professional license or enrollment in a healthcare professional education program. There is no required course — eligibility is portfolio and experience based.

What is on the CHSE certification exam?

The CHSE exam consists of 150 multiple-choice questions covering four domains: Display Professional Values and Capabilities (15%), Demonstrate Knowledge of Simulation Principles, Practice, and Methodology (40%), Educate and Facilitate Learning (30%), and Manage Overall Simulation Programs and Resources (15%). Questions test both knowledge and applied scenario judgment across all simulation modalities.

How long does CHSE certification last and how is it renewed?

CHSE certification is valid for three years. Renewal requires either retaking the exam or completing 45 Simulation Activity Hours (SAHs) in approved professional development categories. Developing and implementing new simulation programs — such as adding ISBARR clinical communication simulation to a nursing curriculum — qualifies as SAH activity and strengthens renewal documentation.

How does CHSE certification benefit nursing simulation programs?

CHSE-certified faculty bring validated expertise in simulation design, debriefing, and outcome measurement to nursing programs. Accrediting bodies including CCNE and ACEN increasingly look for evidence of simulation educator credentials during program reviews. CHSE certification also improves the quality and consistency of student simulation experiences — which directly impacts NCLEX pass rates and clinical readiness.

How does SimPhone Pro™ support CHSE certification goals?

SimPhone Pro™ provides CHSE certification candidates with hands-on experience implementing an evidence-based, INACSL-aligned simulation platform — exactly the kind of documented portfolio experience required for CHSE application. Faculty gain practical exposure to simulation design principles, AI-scored outcomes measurement, structured debriefing, and cohort-level program management — all four CHSE exam domains in one platform.

What is the difference between CHSE and CHSE-A certification?

CHSE-A (Advanced) is a post-CHSE credential for experienced simulation educators with demonstrated expertise in simulation program leadership, research, or innovation. CHSE is the foundational credential for simulation educators. CHSE-A is appropriate for faculty who lead simulation centers, publish simulation research, or oversee multi-program simulation infrastructure. Both are awarded by SSH.

Can ISBARR simulation count toward CHSE portfolio requirements?

Yes. Designing and implementing ISBARR clinical communication simulation using SimPhone Pro™ generates documented portfolio evidence across multiple CHSE competency domains: simulation scenario design, learning objectives development, debriefing execution, and outcomes measurement and reporting. Faculty who add SimPhone Pro™ to their curriculum have concrete, data-supported portfolio entries for CHSE application.

What steps should a candidate follow after failing the CHSE exam to prepare for a retake?

Candidates who do not pass the CHSE exam on the first try can successfully earn their credential on a subsequent attempt with a strategic approach. First, review your domain scores: at the conclusion of your exam you'll receive a performance breakdown by domain — use this as your roadmap and focus on content areas where scores were lowest. Second, set a study timeline: candidates may retake the exam once every 90 days, up to four times per calendar year. Third, strengthen your weakest areas by revisiting resources such as the INACSL Standards, published best practices, and simulation education textbooks — consider joining online study communities or CHSE-aligned webinars from organizations like NLN and ASPE. Finally, confirm your retake registration: after an unsuccessful attempt you'll receive instructions from the exam provider by email to schedule your new test date. A focused, reflective approach using your domain breakdown and educator communities dramatically improves the odds of a successful second attempt.

What information is provided to candidates who pass or fail the CHSE exam?

CHSE exam results are available immediately upon completion — either on screen or as a printed report depending on your testing location. If you pass, you receive a pass notification; no scaled score or domain breakdown is provided. If you do not pass, the report is more detailed: you receive your scaled score (700 is the minimum required to pass) and a breakdown showing the percentage of questions answered correctly in each of the four exam domains. There is no penalty for incorrect answers — only correct responses count toward your final score. All exam forms are equated to ensure every candidate has an equal opportunity to reach the passing scaled score of 700. For test security, you will not receive a review of your responses or information about which specific questions you missed. Your domain breakdown is your key planning tool if you need to retake the exam.

What is the process for requesting exam accommodations, including extended time for non-native English speakers?

Candidates who require accommodations to take the CHSE exam—including additional time for non-native English speakers—can request them directly on the exam application form, which includes a dedicated section for accommodation requests. Common accommodations include extended exam time for non-native English speakers, separate or quieter testing environments, and other documented needs specific to the candidate's situation. Be sure to provide any required supporting documentation with your application so that requests can be reviewed and approved prior to your test date.

Are candidates allowed to review their exam questions or forms after the test?

No. For security and integrity reasons, candidates are not permitted to review individual questions or the full exam content after completing the CHSE exam. Once answers are submitted, there is no option to revisit or see the questions again. This standard testing protocol aligns with other credentialing exams such as the NCLEX and is designed to ensure fairness for all examinees.

What documents must candidates bring on the day of the onsite examination?

On exam day you will need two items: your official admission letter (emailed to you after registration) and a valid government-issued photo ID such as a driver's license or passport. Arrive early — late arrivals may not be admitted, and missing either document can result in being turned away. Double-check that you have both before leaving so your credentialing journey continues without interruption.

CHSE Certification

CHSE Certification: Exam Guide and ISBARR Simulation Portfolio

Everything nursing simulation educators need to know about the Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator exam — domains, eligibility, renewal, and how SimPhone Pro™ builds the real-world portfolio evidence CHSE requires.

SimPhone Pro™ is authored by Dr. Traci Ryan Grove, DNP, RN, CHSE, CHSOS — a credentialed simulation educator who designed every feature of this platform around the SSH competency framework. When you implement SimPhone Pro™, you are working with a tool built to CHSE standards by someone who holds the credential.

What Is CHSE Certification?

CHSE — Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator — is the gold-standard professional credential for nursing and healthcare simulation faculty. Awarded by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH), it validates that a simulation educator can design objectives-based scenarios, facilitate realistic clinical learning, debrief effectively, and measure student outcomes with rigor.

CHSE certification is increasingly expected by nursing programs seeking CCNE and ACEN accreditation, and by health systems building nurse residency simulation infrastructure. It signals to employers and accreditors that simulation activities in your program meet nationally recognized standards — not just departmental practice.

The exam itself is 150 multiple-choice questions administered by SSH. Eligibility requires two years of documented simulation education experience. There is no prerequisite course — but candidates need a portfolio of real-world simulation work to draw on. That portfolio is where SimPhone Pro™ makes a direct contribution.

Nursing faculty member preparing CHSE certification portfolio with ISBARR simulation outcome reports from SimPhone Pro

CHSE Exam Domains — and How SimPhone Pro™ Maps to Each

The CHSE exam tests four domains weighted by percentage. SimPhone Pro™ provides documented, practical experience in all four — making it a directly relevant tool for both exam preparation and portfolio building.

15%

Domain 1

Professional Values & Capabilities

Ethical practice, psychological safety, evidence-based simulation design, and professional standards compliance including INACSL alignment.

40%

Domain 2

Simulation Principles, Practice & Methodology

The heaviest-weighted domain. Covers simulation design theory, scenario development, fidelity, debriefing frameworks, and objective outcomes measurement.

30%

Domain 3

Educate and Facilitate Learning

Facilitating simulation sessions, providing structured feedback, managing learner psychological safety, and executing evidence-based debriefing.

15%

Domain 4

Manage Programs & Resources

Simulation lab operations, program administration, budgeting, scheduling, and reporting for institutional and accreditation stakeholders.