A Strategy for Role Assignment in Simulation Using Collaborative Cognition

The purpose of this article is to present an innovative education strategy for role assignment in simulation that encourages collaboration and prioritization, while highlighting critical thinking.

Traditional methods of role assignment in simulation distribute nursing duties among multiple participants, assigning students as a primary or a secondary nurse or dictating specific tasks such as medication administration, assessment, or documentation. This allows students to divide and conquer, rather than prioritize and delegate.

In the Two-Heads-Are-Better-Than-One strategy, two students assume the role of one nurse and are instructed to move and act as if they are one person.

The Two-Heads-Are-Better-Than-One strategy requires the two students functioning as one nurse to collaborate, discuss differences of opinion, and formulate a plan of care for the simulated patient.

This innovative approach to role assignment in simulation provides clinical faculty with a unique perspective for assessing critical thinking and clinical reasoning. [J Nurs Educ. 2018;57(11):694-697.].