Bloom's Taxonomy: Framing Virtual Simulations During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Health Professions Education
• Online Learning

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a rapid transition from traditional in-person nursing simulations to online educational modalities.
• Maintaining the quality and effectiveness of clinical skill development in a remote learning environment presented a significant challenge for nursing programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of Kaplan's i-Human Patients, a virtual simulation platform, in assessing nursing students' clinical knowledge.
• To explore the integration of Bloom's taxonomy and the five phases of professional development within a virtual simulation framework for nursing education.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Kaplan's i-Human Patients, an online virtual simulation tool, at a large Midwestern university.
• Employed Bloom's taxonomy to structure virtual patient cases, facilitating the assessment of student learning.
• Incorporated the five phases of professional development to guide faculty instruction and student progression within the virtual environment.

Main Results:

• The virtual simulation platform effectively evaluated student nurses' clinical knowledge and comprehension.
• Bloom's taxonomy provided a structured approach to case development, enhancing the learning experience.
• The five phases of professional development model supported faculty in guiding student learning through virtual scenarios.

Conclusions:

• Virtual simulation platforms like Kaplan's i-Human Patients are viable tools for nursing education, particularly in remote or hybrid learning settings.
• The integration of pedagogical frameworks such as Bloom's taxonomy and professional development phases can optimize the effectiveness of virtual nursing simulations.
• This approach offers a scalable and adaptable method for assessing and fostering clinical competence in nursing students.