Use of Simulated Telenursing With Standardized Patients to Enhance Prelicensure Nursing Education

Abstract

Background: Telenursing is a growing field in health care but remains underutilized as a clinical learning opportunity in the prelicensure nursing curriculum. Problem: Prelicensure nursing students need exposure to telenursing as an educational modality, which can serve as an alternative opportunity for clinical hours where facilities and resources are limited. Approach: Using standardized patients and a web-based videoconferencing platform, faculty developed an innovative, simulated telenursing encounter to expose nursing students to virtual patient care scenarios. The effectiveness of this learning experience was evaluated through student-teacher satisfaction debriefing and student performance on content-related examinations. Outcomes: Students scored higher on targeted examination questions than students from the same cohort who did not participate in the telenursing encounter. In addition, students voiced increased comfort and confidence with conducting patient interviews, providing patient education, and debriefing. Conclusion: Using a simulated telenursing encounter is useful in prelicensure nursing education by exposing students to patient interaction outside of traditional clinical settings and reinforcing essential nursing concepts.

Digital Health Education and Training for Undergraduate and Graduate Nursing Students: Scoping Review

“…In total, 2 studies focused on NI education [ 85 , 86 ]. Of note, some of these interventions were implemented or developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic [ 32 - 36 , 40 ].…”

“…Integration of simulation experiences was mostly as a stand-alone intervention; a few studies reported integration as part of an existing course. These studies integrated the simulation experiences as part of a rotation practice [ 38 ], course assignment [ 33 ], and as part of a clinical course [ 37 , 40 ]. Simulation was delivered mainly via teleconferencing and online technologies such as Zoom and Google Hangouts [ 32 , 33 , 35 , 36 , 40 - 42 ].…”

“…These studies integrated the simulation experiences as part of a rotation practice [ 38 ], course assignment [ 33 ], and as part of a clinical course [ 37 , 40 ]. Simulation was delivered mainly via teleconferencing and online technologies such as Zoom and Google Hangouts [ 32 , 33 , 35 , 36 , 40 - 42 ]. A few studies used a telehealth robot [ 33 ] or a telepresence robot [ 38 , 39 ].…”

“…The simulation experiences varied in length from 1 hour to a few hours, facilitated by using scenarios, standardized patients, briefing, and debriefing. Authors used different professional practice frameworks such as the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials [ 33 , 40 ], National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties [ 33 ], and Quality and Safety Education for Nurses [ 37 ] and best practices and theoretical frameworks for conducting simulation such as the International Nursing Association of Clinical Simulation and Learning and Promoting Excellence and Reflective Learning through Simulation method for debriefing [ 33 , 36 , 37 ].…”

“…Some studies also sought to determine the usability of the telehealth robot [ 33 , 39 ] or feasibility of the telehealth experience [ 35 , 36 ]. In addition to using pretest-posttest assessments, some authors used Objective Structured Clinical Examinations [ 32 , 35 ], knowledge tests [ 33 , 40 ], reflection [ 34 , 36 , 41 ], and focus group interviews [ 34 , 37 , 42 ]. Despite the inherent limitations of the study designs used, the interventions delivered yielded positive outcomes and students’ experiences and feedback.…”