Using Simulation to Teach Gender-Affirming Care Concepts in Nursing Education.

BACKGROUND: LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans-gender, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual), and gender-nonconforming (GNC) individuals have limited access to quality care, leading to health disparities. Lack of training and implicit bias are significant contributors to discrimination. Nursing schools must provide opportunities for student interaction with vulnerable populations, and interacting with transgender and GNC individuals during clinical experiences may be challenging. METHOD: Simulated experiences offer opportunities for students to develop clinical competencies. Students participated in a simulation on caring for transgender and GNC populations. Students participated in a prebriefing session, viewed a simulation video, and engaged in a debriefing session. Participants completed a pre- and postsurvey to assess their knowledge and perceived confidence. RESULTS: Students' confidence in providing gender affirming care was improved by the activity. CONCLUSION: Students prioritize providing competent care to vulnerable populations. In-class simulation is an effective method for improving students' clinical competencies in a safe, nonjudgmental setting. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(4):241-246.].

Nursing students' reflections on vaccine administration during the COVID-19 global pandemic.

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, many nursing schools limited in-person clinical instruction to lower the risk of student exposure to SARS-CoV-2. Some U.S. state boards of nursing authorized virtual learning experiences to attempt to fill this void. The effects of restricting such hands-on training are not fully understood, but we believed it could be detrimental to student development and saw partnering with local COVID-19 vaccination clinic as a promising alternative. Between January and April 2021, second semester pre-licensure nursing students assisted at the clinic and submitted reflections on the experience. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of this educational encounter. METHODS: One hundred seventy-one students submitted reflections on their experience, which were de-identified and uploaded to a HIPAA- and FERPA-compliant cloud storage system using SAFE desktop and coded for thematic analysis. RESULTS: Analysis revealed five major themes: community, socializing, perceived confidence, impact, and professional role. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the viability of instruction at a COVID-19 vaccination clinic as an alternative learning experience for nursing students encountering restricted face-to-face clinical training. It suggests that schools can develop other novel clinical experiences to increase students' perceived confidence, provide opportunities to practice skills, and gain insights into nursing practice.