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Development and Implementation of Unfolding Pediatric Simulations
Insights
Unfolding pediatric clinical simulations offer a valuable alternative to traditional placements for nursing students. These simulations enhance critical thinking and preparedness for common pediatric conditions.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Education
- Pediatric Healthcare
- Simulation-Based Learning
Background:
- Limited inpatient pediatric clinical placements pose challenges for undergraduate nursing students.
- Increasing restrictions in patient care and disease pattern variations impact pediatric clinical learning.
- Unfolding simulation scenarios were developed to address these challenges in undergraduate pediatric rotations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and implement unfolding pediatric simulations.
- To replace traditional clinical hours and standardize pediatric clinical experiences.
- To provide consistent exposure to common pediatric conditions.
Main Methods:
- Literature search for top pediatric admitting diagnoses.
- Development and implementation of five unfolding pediatric simulation scenarios.
- Replacement of traditional clinical hours with simulation-based learning.
Main Results:
- 36.5% of traditional clinical hours were replaced by simulations over two years.
- Student clinical readiness indicators showed improvements in critical thinking.
- Preparedness of students for pediatric clinical practice increased.
Conclusions:
- Unfolding pediatric clinical simulations serve as an effective alternative to traditional clinical placements.
- Simulations ensure consistent exposure to prevalent pediatric conditions.
- This approach enhances nursing students' readiness for pediatric care.
Background:
Inpatient pediatric clinical placements for undergraduate nursing students can present a challenge, given the limited number of pediatric hospitals and growing demand for clinical placements. Pediatric clinical learning experiences are also impacted by increasing restrictions in patient care and variations in disease patterns. Subsequently, unfolding simulation scenarios were developed as a critical component of undergraduate pediatric rotations.
Method:
The literature was searched to determine the top admitting diagnoses for pediatric admissions. Unfolding pediatric simulations were developed and implemented to replace clinical hours and standardize pediatric clinical experiences for common diseases.
Results:
Five unfolding simulations were developed over a 2-year period. By the end of that period, 36.5% of traditional clinical hours had been replaced. Student clinical readiness indicators demonstrated increases in critical thinking and preparedness.
Conclusion:
Unfolding pediatric clinical simulations are a useful alternative to traditional clinical placement, and they can provide consistent exposure to common pediatric conditions. [J Nurs Educ. 2020;59(2):107-110.].
