Henry Henao is Director of the Simulation Teaching and Research Center at the Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences.
In 2010, he joined the faculty of FIU Florida International University’s Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences as a Clinical Assistant Professor and led the creation of the Simulation Teaching and Research (STAR) Center as its founding Director. In this capacity, he provides the vision and manages the daily operation of a 16,000 square foot facility designed to deliver immersive experiences to undergraduate, graduate learners, and practicing nursing and healthcare providers in an environment that resembles authentic clinical settings.
In 2018, Professor Henao and his team successfully achieved accreditation in teaching/education of the STAR Center with the Society of Simulation in Healthcare (SSH).
Professor Henry Henao has become an international leader in designing and implementing educational innovations that prepare healthcare professionals to practice across complex healthcare environments. Professor Henao has been recognized as an influential voice in the field of clinical simulation education.
Professor Henao served as a team leader and site principal investigator for the longitudinal, multi-site, landmark “The National Simulation Study”, funded by The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) that provided the initial evidence to support policy on the use of simulation in prelicensure nursing education.
Professor Henao consults on faculty development, curriculum integration, design, development, and operations of simulation programs internationally. He is among the first educators to become a Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator (CHSE) by SSH. Professor Henao has served as a subject matter expert to review the original standards for simulation evaluation from the International Nursing Association of Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL). He was competitively selected into the inaugural class of the prestigious National League for Nursing’s (NLN) Leadership Development Program for Simulation Educators (SimLeaders). Additionally, he serves as a Simulation Nursing Educator for the NLN/Laerdal Simulation Education Solutions for Nursing (SESN) program
Professor Henao has worked for over twenty years as an Emergency Medical Technician, emergency department Nurse, and as a Nurse Practitioner in private practice. He is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner and is a founder and current advisor for the Nurse Practitioner Council of Miami-Dade Inc., a professional organization that advocates for nurse practitioners and the community they serve. Professor Henao is currently completing his PhD in Nursing with a focus on simulation center operations.
research interests
Clinical Simulation Telehealth Nursing Academic and Clinical Innovations Life Sciences
