The integration of simulation into a clinical foundations of nursing course: student and faculty perspectives

Taking the initial steps to integrate simulation into a nursing program can appear overwhelming to faculty and supportive personnel. This paper will describe an approach taken by one undergraduate nursing program in the United States that focused on integrating simulation into a clinical foundations nursing course. Current research was used to guide the design and implementation of simulation. Several key points from the literature were applied to the process; linking scenarios with didactic information, the importance of debriefing, and the need for repetitive practice. Using these concepts, simulation scenarios were constructed following the Nursing Education Simulation Framework. Three scenarios were subsequently implemented during the course, with data from students and faculty collected after each scenario. The results indicate the students perceived the design and implementation to be very agreeable, while faculty reactions to simulation remain mixed. However, there was universal support concerning the use of repetitive practice of foundational skills to enhance learning outcomes.