Connecting the dots: Bridging virtual to in-person physical assessment

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Simulation
• Quality Improvement

Background:

• COVID-19 restrictions limited prelicensure nursing students' hands-on simulation practice.
• A gap in essential head-to-toe physical assessment skills was anticipated due to reduced face-to-face clinical experience.
• The Plan-Do-Study-Act model was employed for quality improvement to address skill deficits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate an innovative method for improving nursing students' physical assessment skills, particularly stethoscope placement.
• To enhance student confidence in performing physical assessments after a period of virtual learning.
• To implement an economical and effective technique for teaching anatomical landmarks in a simulation setting.

Main Methods:

• A quality improvement project utilized the Plan-Do-Study-Act model.
• Colored adhesive dots were used to mark anatomical landmarks for stethoscope placement guidance.
• Pre- and post-tests assessed student confidence in assessment skills before and after the intervention.
• The method was applied to standardized patients within a simulation environment.

Main Results:

• Nursing students reported increased confidence in stethoscope placement following the intervention.
• The "dotting" method effectively aided students in identifying anatomical landmarks.
• The intervention successfully bridged the gap between virtual learning and in-person skill performance.

Conclusions:

• The economical "dotting" process is a beneficial tool for enhancing nursing students' stethoscope placement skills.
• This method can improve physical assessment competency in healthcare simulation settings.
• The strategy holds potential benefits for students across various healthcare disciplines.