Evaluating clinical performance using simulated patients

In summary, we believe that nurse practitioners use the nursing process in giving primary health care to patients, and their skill in using that process must be periodically evaluated as they move through their educational program. Further, we believe that consumers have the right to expect a beginning level of competence from graduates of nursing programs. Based on our experience, we believe that the use of the simulated patient, now used primarily in teaching, should be expanded to be of valuable assistance in clinical performance evaluation.