SIM Wars is back at Emergency Nursing 2026 to put emergency and forensic nurses through their paces. The fast‑paced, high‑pressure competition features 16 teams facing unscripted emergency scenarios designed to test their clinical judgment, communication and teamwork under the brightest lights and the tightest timelines.
Inside the Experience Hall, SIM Wars showcases how emergency nurses think and act when seconds matter. The space is built for immersive learning, rapid decision-making and hands-on practice.
According to SIM Wars judge Christopher Sampson, MD, FACEP, the event blends education with adrenaline. “It adds a different level of competition while providing an educational event,” said Sampson, associate medical director of trauma and emergency medicine at Teleflex. “You’re not just competing. You’re hopefully coming away with some learning as well.”
Winning Strategies
The Hoosier hERoes claimed the top spot in SIM Wars at Emergency Nursing 2025.
That learning begins the moment nurses enter the arena. Competitors receive only a brief orientation before facing a scenario they’ve never seen, a design choice meant to capture the anything-can-happen nature of a real ED shift. Sampson has helped shape SIM Wars since its debut in 2017. He said the groups that rise to the top share one defining trait: the ability to stay aligned under pressure. “The teams that often do really well are those that have great communication and work really well together,” he noted. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be people you’ve worked with for years. It’s those underlying communication skills that lead to success.”
Last year’s champions, the Hoosier hERoes, embodied that principle. After finishing sixth in 2024, the Indiana‑based team returned with a new mindset and a commitment to fundamentals. “We decided as a group that no matter what happened, we were going to follow our [Trauma Nursing Core Course] algorithm,” said team member and TNCC instructor Melissa Komrska, BSN, RN, CEN, SANE. “It was really nice to see that what we teach really works.”
That disciplined approach paid off. In the opening round, the team quickly recognized the need for a CT scan. But when one member urged them to move faster, they stuck to their agreed‑upon process. “We were like, nope, we can’t. We’re not at that point,” Komrska recalled. “Everyone encouraged each other to stick with our plan.” That consistency helped them navigate a complex finals case involving pneumonia and adrenal insufficiency, ultimately earning the championship.
High Energy All Around
Performing on stage, however, brings its own challenges. “People are watching you and they can see if you make mistakes,” Komrska said. Even so, she described the atmosphere as invigorating, especially with the team’s home state cheering section in the crowd. “It was really fun to see other nurses from Indiana come and root us on.”
Sampson agrees the competitors themselves create the event’s high-octane, dynamic vibe. “The people who bring the energy to it are the nurses,” he said. “They bring their A game and help make it a successful event.”
SIM Wars has become one of the most popular clinical events at the Emergency Nursing conference.
As SIM Wars returns to Phoenix, both veterans and first‑time attendees can expect the same blend of intensity, surprise and camaraderie that has made the competition a must‑see experience. Scenarios may involve trauma, medical emergencies, pediatrics or multiple patients, but no one knows until they step inside. “You never know what’s going to come through the door next,” Sampson said. “Just like a typical ED shift.”
For Komrska, that uncertainty is part of the thrill. “You just never know what you’re going to get,” she said. “That’s the exciting part.”
Whether teams are chasing redemption, defending a title or simply testing their skills, SIM Wars continues to celebrate the heart of emergency nursing. At its core are adaptability, teamwork and the ability to deliver under pressure. As Komrska put it, “It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been a nurse. It’s about coming together and working as one.”
Phoenix is ready. The arena is set. And once again, SIM Wars promises to be a showdown you won’t want to miss.