Skip to main content
INACSL24 Main banner
Icon Legend
Presentation Icons
Additional Fee
Additional Fee
Lightning
Lightning
Poster Winner
Poster Winner
Rising Star
Rising Star
Poster Icons
Poster Winner
Poster Winner
Rising Star
Rising Star

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)

Toward Competency-based Nurse Practitioner Education: Evaluating Clinical Decision-Making in Virtual Simulation: A Multisite Study

Thursday, June 13, 2024
4:30 PM - 5:15 PM East Coast USA Time
Location: Ballroom A/B
Disclosure(s):
Mindi A. Anderson, PhD, APRN, CPNP-PC, CNE, CHSE-A, ANEF, FSSH, FAAN: No relevant disclosure to display
Peggy P. Hill, PhD, RN, CHSE: No financial relationships to disclose
Jacqueline B. LaManna, PhD, APRN, ANP-BC, BC-ADM, CDCES, FADCES: No financial relationships to disclose
Deborah O'Briant, DNP, APRN, FNP-C: No financial relationships to disclose
Jennifer Roye, MSN, RN, CHSE, CNE EdD (c): No financial relationships to disclose
Elizabeth Wells-Beede, PhD, RN, C-EFM, CHSE-A, CNE, ACUE, FAAN: No financial relationships to disclose
Abstract : Virtual simulation (VS) has been reported to increase clinical reasoning (CR) skills (CASN, 2021; Sim et al., 2022). Few studies utilizing VS, particularly those related to CR, have included advanced practice nursing (APN) students (Sim et al., 2022). The purpose of this grant-funded research, implemented in four courses at three institutions, was to assess how VS can be used to evaluate CR competencies among APN students (AACN, 2021; NONPF, 2022). The aims were to: 1) determine whether the time spent in a VS affected CR scores; 2) assess whether CR scores improved from VS#1 to #2; 3) examine whether confidence scores related to CR improved from VS#1 to #2; 4) determine whether curricular placement of VS experiences (prior clinical experience and proximity to related course content) had an effect on CR scores; and, 5) assess student-perceived VS effectiveness (Leighton et al., 2018). One-hundred and four students completed the VSs with various numbers (up to n = 74) completing pieces of the tools and/or allowed use of their scores. Some of the preliminary results showed that time spent in the VS was negatively correlated with overall scores. CR scores did not improve from one VS to the next but were related to the proximity to course content placement. For both VSs, perceived confidence remained the same, though one VS had higher total diagnostic scores. Learners rated debriefing the lowest on effectiveness. Further results will be presented, and suggestions for institutions considering VS for Nurse Practitioner CR core competences will be provided.

Learning Objectives:

  • Recognize at least two reasons virtual simulation (VS) may be used to evaluate Nurse Practitioner (NP) core competences related to clinical or diagnostic reasoning.
  • Apply at least two results of a multisite study using VS to evaluate Nurse NP core competences related to clinical or diagnostic reasoning.
  • Propose at least two suggestions for institutions considering VS to evaluate nurse practitioner core competences related to clinical or diagnostic reasoning.