An Innovative Academic-Practice Partnership Using Simulation to Provide End-of-Life Education for Undergraduate...

Innovations that foster academic-practice partnerships can fill direct clinical care gaps and supplement faculty expertise, particularly in rural settings. An end-of-life simulation was cocreated by nursing faculty and regional certified hospice and palliative care nurses (CHPNs) as a course improvement project for traditional baccalaureate students who lacked direct care experience. Groups of students experienced skills-based pain management and end-of-life conversation-based scenarios using CHPNs as standardized patients. The simulation conformed to current standards in health care simulation, including prebriefing and debriefing components. Feedback from students and CHPNs supports the partnership as an effective teaching/learning strategy.