Reimagining foundational skill acquisition: Integrating virtual simulation for health assessment

As part of a curricular redesign for our BSN program, 107 first semester students are immersed in an on-campus clinical course that combines health assessment and psychomotor skills acquisition. Recognizing that repetition reinforces learning, and the potential to leverage relevant technology, a virtual simulation tool is consciously integrated. Simulated scenarios provide students with a safe space to practice communication and health assessment skills related to individual body systems prior to clinical. This deliberate practice helps the confidence level of students entering their first clinical rotation. Students also complete readings, preparatory quizzes, weekly single system assessments (virtually), and video tutorials.

This course is redesigned in collaboration with an instructional designer who reimagined the presentation of the course in our learning management system. The virtual simulation component is included in the weekly presentation of the course content. Separate course-specific faculty and student orientations to the new course layout and simulation tool, helped to convey the different parts of the course to all stakeholders uniformly, thereby promoting consistency and shared expectations.

We are continuing to monitor learning outcomes from the perspective of intentional course design and integration of virtual simulation. Our hope is students will appreciate the value of simulation. As Cottom says, “It doesn’t matter whether a tool can do something; it matters whether or not students can make sense of what the tool is doing”. We will share feedback from students and faculty to discuss their experience with the integration of this virtual simulation for health assessment.