Incorporating Innovative Simulation Activities Into Campus Lab to Enhance Skill Competence and Critical Thinking of Second-Semester Associate Degree Nursing Students.

Decreasing access to clinical sites, inconsistency in student learning experiences, and lack of faculty have compelled nursing schools to incorporate more simulation into their curricula. Professional organizations, regulating bodies, and schools of nursing support its use. The Nursing 2 Challenge simulation activity was designed to give second-semester nursing students an opportunity to improve skill competence and critical thinking utilizing a systematic, preplanned station rotation format in the safe setting of the nursing campus lab. Each station required the students to apply clinical decision-making and nursing skills to complete interventions aligned with course objectives.

Successful Integration of an Academic Electronic Health Record Into the Curriculum of an Associate Degree Nursing Program.

The use of electronic data management systems is rapidly expanding. Nurses need to be competent in the use of electronic health records (EHRs) and understand their contribution to safe, effective, high quality patient care. Faculty must incorporate learning experiences in the application of EHRs into undergraduate nursing programs in order to adequately prepare students for employment. This article reports the challenges involved in the successful addition of an academic EHR into an existing curriculum.