Promoting continuing competence and confidence in nurses through high-fidelity simulation-based learning.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Simulation
• Staff Development

Background:

• Practicing nurses face challenges with high-acuity patients and evolving healthcare environments.
• Healthcare institutions struggle to balance quality patient care with nurses' experiential learning.
• Existing literature on simulation for practicing nurses' continuing competency is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the use of high-fidelity simulation-based learning for practicing nurses.
• To identify employer opportunities for simulation in continuing competency and staff development.
• To enhance nurses' skills and confidence in technical and evolving healthcare settings.

Main Methods:

• Review of current practices and literature on high-fidelity simulation in nursing.
• Identification of best practices for implementing simulation in staff development programs.
• Analysis of how simulation can support nurses' acquisition of new clinical knowledge.

Main Results:

• High-fidelity simulation provides a no-risk environment for experiential learning.
• Simulation effectively expands nurses' clinical skills without compromising patient safety.
• Opportunities exist for employers to integrate simulation into ongoing professional development.

Conclusions:

• High-fidelity simulation-based learning is a valuable tool for continuing competency in practicing nurses.
• Employers can leverage simulation to foster skill development and confidence.
• Simulation addresses the need for safe, experiential learning in complex healthcare settings.