Nurse experts jump-start clinical simulation in rehabilitation nursing: supporting new graduate transition to...

This article outlines a high-fidelity simulation project developed and implemented by expert staff nurses at a specialty rehabilitation hospital. The project is designed to educate new graduate nurses on appropriate care for patients after a rare spinal cord surgical procedure. Due to the complicated nature of the surgery, patients are highly acute and may present with specific complications that need to be addressed for positive patient outcomes. Expert staff nurses imparted their knowledge in developing a scenario emphasizing common and unusual postsurgery patient presentations. The scenario was implemented as a teaching exercise for new graduate nurses, with experienced staff nurses as facilitators of learning in a safe, nonthreatening environment. New graduate nurses were overwhelmingly positive in the postsimulation debriefing, reporting increased confidence and knowledge necessary to care for these patients. Future endeavors include expanding involvement of staff nurses in simulation education and researching new graduate transition through simulation.