Simulation enhances nursing education as in-person clinicals return

When in-person clinical rotations were put on hold at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, state boards of nursing adapted their rules to allow nursing programs to use simulation to fill the gap. In the process, some programs discovered how virtual or computer-based simulation effectively allows students to practice their clinical reasoning skills and make mistakes without putting patients at risk. Nearly half of state nursing boards allowed simulation in nursing programs prior to the pandemic. In 2015, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) completed a multiyear study of clinical simulation in entry-level programs. The study showed programs could produce clinically competent graduates while substituting one hour of clinical simulation for one hour of in-person clinical experience for up to 50% of the clinical hours in a given course and not reduce program effectiveness. (HealthLeaders Media article, 8/8/22)