Usability of open digital handbook for interprofessional large-group simulation: A descriptive qualitative study

• Knowledge about the practices of large-group simulation is so far scarce. • An open digital handbook illustrates how to organize a large-group simulation. • The handbook can be tested and developed by implementing large-group simulations. Due to the lack of educational materials for organizing large-group simulations, the interprofessional development project produced an open digital handbook. To further develop the handbook, knowledge of its content and usability is needed. To explore experiences and expectations related to the content and usability of the handbook in organizing an interprofessional large-group simulation. A descriptive qualitative study. Interviews were conducted in January 2024. Participants (n = 11) were Finnish social and healthcare educators and nurse educator students with experience in interprofessional large-group simulations. Data were analyzed via thematic analysis. Three perspectives were formed: content structure and accessibility increase the handbook’s usability in an online environment, the handbook is usable as support for organizing a large-group simulation, and the handbook is intended to be used to organize a large-group simulation and to be developed in the future. This handbook could increase social and healthcare educators’ competence and the cooperation between disciplines in organizing interprofessional large-group simulations. Further, handbook’s visual and pedagogical solutions can be developed to be more usable in varying educational contexts.