Integrating Information Management Tools, Concepts and Competencies into Human Patient Simulated Learning Scenarios

Paper

Saturday, November 3, 2007

This presentation is part of : Using Mobile Information Management Tools to Promote Evidence-Based Practice in an Academic Environment

Victoria Elfrink, PhD, RN, Nursing, The Ohio State University, College of Nursing, Columbus, OH, USA

Human Patient Simulation is a teaching tool that promotes clinical learning in a safe yet realistic environment. The use of simulation is gaining wide popularity in nursing education, but few nursing programs have integrated the use of clinical information systems (CIS) into student’s experiences with the human patient simulator. The Ohio State University has included CIS/simulation learning strategies into six courses. This pedagogical approach was chosen because the integration of a CIS with simulation should increase students’ use of data to make informed decisions, build in evidence based references and templates for practice and give students information management tools at the point of care.

This presentation will describe the CIS/simulation learning approaches used within each course. Strategies vary in scope and complexity based on level of the student. For example, sophomore nursing students get early experience with the CIS by documenting assessment and intervention data in simulated focused activities, e.g., providing wound care. Juniors prepare for their simulated post-operative mastectomy patient scenario by reading the history and other relevant patient data within the CIS. During simulation, students look up the simulated patient’s lab values, check orders and document care in “real time”. Personal digital assistants are also used as real time electronic reference tools when delivering care to this virtual patient. Senior students in the High Acuity Course are the most advanced in their use of the CIS in simulation. Students access the CIS remotely and plan the care for their assignment. For seniors, the care to be delivered is more complex and uncertain, thus the need for timely data is more critical to drive decision-making. Regardless of the student level, faculty participating in these simulations are stressing the importance of managing information to drive point of care decisions and application of evidence-based practice.

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See more of The 39th Biennial Convention (November 3 -- 7, 2007)