Professional Experience Placement

This article by Griffin et al (2014) discusses the vexed question of simulation versus professional experience, and the ongoing conversation regarding the replacement of clinical hours with simulation.  The authors describe the issues regarding the pressures related to receiving high quality clinical placements as a student and for facilities to be able to support and guide students. The authors used auto ethnography to explore clinical educators experience. The findings indicated that the need to adequately prepare students for the practice environment is crucial to reduce anxiety and reduce opportunity for being overwhelmed.   In simulation, engagement and level of realism are key to connection of  students, including being able to emulate realistic adrenalin-pumping circumstances, with learning scenarios. The learning of critical thinking and decision-making that occurs in complex healthcare environments can be scaffolded during simulation, so that students can be prepared for the challenges of the healthcare environment. Feedback to students and being able to appropriately sequence and pause scenarios enables students to gain an understanding they reflect on and use, once in practice.  The authors also acknowledge there is opportunity for clinicians to receive feedback, learn from their mistakes or deficits to enable students to gain the most from their learning moments with the aim of ensuring students enter the profession as competent and safe clinicians.

If you have any comments about simulation as a strategy to augment learning for nurses, you are welcome to post them here. Please join us @PEPCommunity.