Simulation Innovation to Redesign the Baccalaureate Curriculum to Address Population Health.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Population Health
• Competency-Based Education

Background:

• Prelicensure nursing curricula require updates to incorporate essential population health competencies.
• There is a need for effective pedagogical strategies to equip nursing students with population health skills.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of simulation-based learning activities on population health competencies in prelicensure nursing students.
• To assess the effectiveness of an academic-practice partnership in developing these learning activities.

Main Methods:

• Utilized simulation-based learning activities integrated into generic and second-degree nursing programs.
• Employed an academic-practice partnership to design and implement the simulation strategies.

Main Results:

• Nursing students demonstrated improved learning outcomes.
• Significant increases in population health competencies were observed across the curriculum.
• Simulation-based learning proved effective in enhancing knowledge and skills.

Conclusions:

• Simulation-based learning is a valuable and interactive strategy for developing population health competencies in nursing students.
• Academic-practice partnerships are crucial for creating effective, real-world simulation experiences.
• Curricular redesign incorporating simulation can better prepare nurses for population health challenges.