Date of Award

Spring 5-15-2021

Document Type

Independent Study

Degree Name

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Department

Nursing

Program Affiliation

Nurse Educator (NE)

First Advisor

Patricia L. Parker

Abstract

The demand for nurses is growing throughout the United States, increasing the burden on nursing institutions to accept more students into their programs. Yet, schools are having difficulty keeping up with the need. Institutions have been replacing traditional, in-person clinical experiences with simulated clinical experiences. Although state boards of nursing allow for the utilization of clinical simulation hours, there is no consensus regarding the amount or percentage of hours that schools can replace or the types of experiences that lead to the best student outcomes. This paper thoroughly examines the contemporary literature to determine if simulated clinical education meets student outcomes and nursing standards. Additionally, this paper explores the types of simulation experiences available to pair the outcomes most suitable to each kind of experience. Current literature confirms that simulation produces practice-ready nurses by encouraging critical thinking skills, clinical reasoning, and interdisciplinary teamwork. Simulation and skills labs allow students to decrease anxiety and increase confidence when they can practice skills repeatedly without risking harm to a patient. Boards of nursing and nursing researchers need to work together to establish guidelines for institutions regarding the number and type of hours necessary for Bachelor of Science nursing students.

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