Use of a simulated administrative decision-making exercise in an online master's Nursing Administration course

To simulate the type of ethical and informed decision making required of today's nurse executives, a unique role-playing exercise was developed in a graduate Nursing Administration course. This exercise included evidence-based information about the safety issues inherent in 12-hour nursing shifts. It then explored the decision-making process that a nurse executive would follow to weigh the conflicting concerns of safety and staff satisfaction. A blog format was used for a role-playing exercise in which students were assigned various roles, and the assignment was designed to mimic a roundtable discussion. The final step was to assume the role of the chief nurse executive and make a decision regarding the ethical dilemma of staff satisfaction versus evidence-based safety concerns. Students demonstrated an understanding of acknowledging input from others, as well as the ability to synthesize points on a difficult question.