Integration of theory and practice: experiential learning theory and nursing education

The increasingly complex role of a nurse requires a much higher level of critical thinking and clinical judgment skills than in the past. Opportunities to provide critical thinking experiences in clinical settings are challenged by various factors, including limited clinical facilities and a shortage of nurse faculty. Alternative methods to provide critical thinking experiences in undergraduate nursing education are required. Kolb's theory of experiential learning theory is discussed as the foundation for the development of an alternative strategy that uses moderate-fidelity manikins. The strategy involved scenario-based performance of selected nursing skills in order to evaluate critical thinking and theory-clinical correlation.