Enhancing the pediatric undergraduate nursing curriculum through simulation

Pediatric nursing courses have been affected by the increasingly limited amount of clinical placements and experiences for students. Securing clinical sites that provide well-rounded experiences in a limited amount of time is difficult. In addition, "teachable moments" can be lost on a busy unit due to variables outside of the control of the clinical faculty member, leading to a less than positive learning experience for students. A pediatric simulation curriculum was developed for the clinical rotation. This allowed students to begin their clinical experience better prepared and broadened their overall clinical experiences in a limited amount of time.