Navigating the Virtual Frontier: A Virtual Patient Simulation Pilot Study in Prelicensure Baccalaureate Nursing Education

Background

Clinical reasoning and effective communication are foundational to patient outcomes, and therefore, key concepts in nursing education. There is a growing body of evidence to support virtual patient simulation in nursing and other health professions, but to date none that focuses specifically on whether virtual simulation impacts clinical reasoning in on-campus baccalaureate nursing health assessment courses.

Sample

First semester prelicensure baccalaureate nursing students.

Methods

A quantitative, quasi-experimental design with a pre-test post-test methodology grounded in Experiential Learning Theory was used. The Student Performance Index score measured clinical reasoning and simulation software automatically calculated communication variables.

Results

In the sample of 19 students, a two-tailed paired samples t-test found statistically significant improved outcomes for most variables.

Conclusion

Virtual patient simulation positively impacts clinical reasoning and communication skills and is an appropriate pedagogical tool for nurse educators.