Alternative Clinical Learning Experiences for Nursing Education Using Virtual Individual Patients.

ABSTRACT: Acute care pediatric clinical experiences for undergraduate nursing students can present a challenge given the limited availability of clinical sites, increased restrictions, and variations in direct patient care experiences. Unfolding virtual individual patient pediatric simulations were developed using complex pediatric disorders with multiple physiological, psychosocial, and developmental components. Ten unfolding simulations were implemented to standardize clinical experiences and replace clinical hours. Students were evaluated using the Quint Leveled Clinical Competency Tool, demonstrating overall progressing ability to use clinical reasoning skills. Unfolding virtual individual patients allow for deliberate, coordinated, and consistent exposure to clinical experiences and are a valuable substitution for traditional clinicals.

Comparison of student learning among three teaching methodologies in the pediatric clinical setting.

Facilitating effective clinical learning for pediatric nursing students is becoming increasingly challenging and limited in opportunities. Hospital leaders are concerned about the critical thinking and prioritization skills of new graduates and believe that inpatient clinical experiences are the only way to develop these skills. This study sought to compare the effectiveness of three different clinical teaching schedules in preparing nursing students to care for children and their families. Teaching methodology was randomly assigned to various amount of times in acute care inpatient settings. Student knowledge, clinical decision making, and student satisfaction and perception of learning were measured. No statistically significant differences among groups for either knowledge scores or clinical reasoning scores were noted. Student satisfaction results did not reveal differences among groups. Study findings will help educators to better plan clinical experiences and more effectively utilize an array of settings to optimize the clinical learning of pediatric nursing content.

Establishing a tutoring and academic support center: Collaborating with nurse educator students.

Academic demands challenge many nursing students as they embark on their professional journey to become competent nurses or further their education. Challenges with incorporating successful retention strategies were problematic during the worldwide COVID-19 public health emergency. Academic student support services were urgently needed. This article describes the successful development of a funded college campus's academic support service center using virtual nurse educator tutoring services for undergraduate and graduate nursing students. The mission of the center is to assist nursing students to become independent, self-confident, and efficient learners who successfully fulfill all academic nursing program requirements. Evidence-based education was provided to train tutors and refine their technology competencies. Tutoring was provided for graduate students to fulfill the need for similar types of academic support services. Metrics were collected to evaluate the relationship between tutoring and academic success indicators. Initial evaluations of tutoring sessions by tutees suggest that peer tutoring as an adjunctive teaching and learning strategy can positively impact academic performance. Findings included improved student quantitative measures including higher exam scores and GPAs along with qualitative outcomes suggesting increased critical thinking skills, self-direction, and self-confidence. Nurse educator student tutors gained valuable teaching experience that promoted their overall academic role development.

Transitioning Child Health Clinical Content From Direct Care to Online Instruction.

BACKGROUND: The global pandemic of 2020 forced preli-censure nursing degree programs to rapidly reevaluate clinical teaching methodologies. To maintain high educational standards with minimal anxiety and disruption for students, a child health teaching team developed an innovative revised plan for facilitation of clinical experiences within the virtual learning environment. METHOD: Experienced faculty employed a series of clinical learning activities in the online environment using existing virtual simulations, along with new innovations including a digital escape room, unfolding case studies, and blended prioritization simulations. RESULTS: Information gleaned from student evaluations identified self-reported increases in clinical reasoning, prioritization, communication, and critical thinking skills. Students appreciated a more relaxed pace that allowed for more time to think through the processes. CONCLUSION: Virtual activities can be as effective as in-person clinical learning methodologies. Integrating virtual activities into clinical curricula can be a viable option, especially in areas where clinical placement is limited. [J Nurs Educ. 2021;60(3):177-179.].

Back-to-basics boot camp: an innovative approach to competency assessment.

Competency is the foundation for safe and quality patient care; therefore, assessment must include evaluation based on defined criteria beyond just following a checklist or grading a posttest. The challenge for nurse educators is devising strategies for the staff to demonstrate skills and critical thinking while accommodating various work schedules and time restrictions. This article will describe an innovative themed program that incorporates communication, teamwork, and fun into competency assessment. This technique allows for the tailoring of validation to the needs of the individual and the team.

Transitioning from direct care to virtual clinical experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced university campuses and healthcare agencies to temporarily suspend both undergraduate and graduate direct care educational experiences, nursing programs had to formulate alternative plans to facilitate clinical learning. Texas Woman's University used this opportunity to assemble a faculty group tasked with creating a set of college-wide guidelines for virtual simulation use as a substitution for traditional face-to-face clinical. The process included completing a needs assessment of both undergraduate and graduate level programs across three campuses and identifying regulatory requirements and limitations for clinical experiences. The task force utilized the information gathered to develop evidence-based recommendations for simulation hour equivalence ratios and compiled a list of virtual activities and products faculty could use to complete clinical experiences. Undergraduate and graduate student surveys were conducted to determine the effectiveness of the transition to virtual clinical experiences. Overall, the majority of survey results were positive regarding virtual simulation experiences providing students with valuable opportunities to enhance their learning. Negative comments regarding the impact of COVID-19 on a personal level included issues involving internet access and web conferencing logistics, lack of motivation to study, family difficulties, and faculty inexperience teaching in an online environment. Undergraduate pre-licensure students were provided with opportunities to successfully complete all remaining required clinical hours virtually, while graduate students were allowed to complete non-direct care hours as applicable using virtual clinical experiences.