An integrative review of simulation, senior practicum and readiness for practice

Readiness for practice (RFP) is essential as new nurses will practice in a nursing shortage climate, with high acuity patients and complex technology. Nurse educators are challenged to foster readiness for practice.

The aim of this integrative review was to explore the impact of simulation and senior practicum on graduating senior nursing students' readiness for practice.

Readiness for practice has been a point of concern for healthcare for quite some time. This has led to a need for better understanding for what RFP means including their perceptions of various stakeholders. Further, it is important to address what teaching and learning strategies can be implemented to assist in ensuring the graduating senior nursing student is ready for practice on graduation and for their first professional practice. Readiness for practice is defined as the ability to safely and competently care for patients by synthesizing theory, skills, attitudes and values in applying clinical reasoning in practice settings.

An integrative review identified 48 published papers on simulation and senior practicum that met the inclusion criteria.

Themes identified from the senior practicum/preceptor literature included clinical reasoning, skills, barriers to the senior practicum and transition. Themes identified regarding simulation as a strategy included preparation, competence development, clinical reasoning and the number of human patient simulators used.

Although the evidence is not conclusive, simulation and senior practicums have the promise of preparing graduating nursing students for their first professional practice. However, nurse educators must ensure simulations are well-organized with clear objectives and that preceptors are supported in teaching and assessing students.