Abstract

The researcher sought to learn the impact of participating in a repetitive, immersive, high-fidelity simulation curriculum on graduates' nursing practice.

The literature has highlighted the gaps in graduates’ practice readiness and transition to practice. This gap is coupled with the decreased opportunities for students in the clinical setting, increased patient acuity, and rapid acceleration in the use of technology in healthcare organizations. The implementation of simulation pedagogy can help bridge these gaps; however, its implementation, frequency, and curricular integration vary across nursing academia.

This qualitative descriptive case study explored the perceptions of graduates from a midwest associate degree nursing program and the impact of simulation on their nursing practice. Data were collected from an open-ended questionnaire and interviews with program graduates from 2018–2023. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the data.

Six themes were identified that related to graduates’ educational preparation, readiness for practice, and transition to practice: positive reflections on preparation for simulation clinical day participation, building self-confidence through role practice, integrating knowledge through practice, practicing patient care in context, impact of debriefing on learning and confidence, and preparing for practice through simulation.

Completing preparation work to participate was key to connecting didactic content with practical application. Creating a psychologically safe environment sets the tone for learners to feel secure enough to take risks and adopt a growth mindset during their experiences and debriefing sessions. Repetitively practicing the role of an RN was crucial, coupled with repetitive practice in an immersive and contextually realistic environment for implementing the nursing process and preparing students for the professional nursing role.

Disciplines

Nursing

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Nursing Commons

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