Using Simulation to Introduce Nursing Students to Caring for Victims of Elder Abuse and Intimate Partner Violence

Learning experiences about domestic violence may not be readily available to nursing students at their traditional clinical sites. Faculty at an associate degree nursing program developed and implemented elder abuse and intimate partner violence simulation scenarios for a Health Systems Concepts course. Learning objectives focused on assessment, safety, communication, education, and legal responsibilities for nurses. After the simulation, students participated in debriefing, completed student evaluations, and responded to three questions about the experience in their reflective journals. Faculty and students expressed satisfaction with this method of learning about domestic violence.