Affirming Simulation in Nursing Education Across Different Institutional Contexts

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Health Equity
• Simulation-Based Learning

Background:

• Significant health disparities persist for transgender and nonbinary (TGNB) individuals.
• Current nursing education often lacks adequate preparation for providing inclusive and affirming care to TGNB patients.
• Simulation, a recognized tool for clinical skill development, is underused for advancing TGNB health equity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a co-developed simulation in preparing nursing students to provide inclusive care to TGNB individuals.
• To assess the feasibility of implementing TGNB-focused simulations across diverse institutional settings.
• To develop a guide for replicating TGNB health simulations in prelicensure nursing programs.

Main Methods:

• Standardized patients with lived TGNB experiences co-developed and participated in realistic clinical simulations.
• The simulation intervention was implemented at two geographically diverse institutions with varying resources.
• Student competency in delivering inclusive care was assessed before professional practice.

Main Results:

• Nursing students at both participating institutions demonstrated enhanced ability to provide inclusive care.
• A simulation guide was created to facilitate the adoption of TGNB-focused simulations by other educational institutions.
• The study confirmed the successful integration of TGNB health content into prelicensure nursing education.

Conclusions:

• Immersive, competency-based simulation effectively integrates TGNB health content into nursing curricula.
• This approach fosters affirming care practices and addresses critical gaps in traditional nursing education.
• The initiative supports the advancement of health equity for TGNB individuals through improved nursing preparedness.