Using a virtual patient activity to teach nurse prescribing.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Health Sciences
• Digital Learning

Background:

• Nurses require specialized training to become independent prescribers.
• Blended learning approaches are increasingly used in healthcare education.
• Virtual patient (VP) simulations offer a safe environment for skill development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop, implement, and evaluate a virtual patient (VP) activity for nurse prescriber training.
• To assess the value of blended learning using VP for nursing students.
• To explore the impact of VP on prescribing practice skills and confidence.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study involving two groups of registered nurses (n=34) undertaking an independent nurse prescriber module.
• Development and implementation of an online virtual patient (VP) learning activity.
• An evaluative study to assess the perceived value and impact of the VP activity.

Main Results:

• The VP activity was perceived as highly useful for learning patient history/assessment skills.
• Students found the VP helpful for decision-making and prescription writing practice.
• The virtual patient activity positively impacted students' confidence in their prescribing abilities.

Conclusions:

• Virtual patient activities are a valuable component of blended learning for nurse prescriber education.
• VP simulations effectively support the development of critical prescribing skills.
• This approach enhances student confidence and readiness for independent prescribing practice.