| Learning Objective #1: Describe the process in developing and implementing clinical simulation teaching | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Discuss the complexities of evaluation using clinical simulation |
Teaching critical thinking in undergraduate nursing students is the focus of much thought and research in recent years. Translating these studies into reality often times presents multiple challenges to faculty. These challenges include access to appropriate environments to safely teach critical thinking, faculty time, and expense. Probably the most difficult challenge in this process is evaluating a student's ability to think critically in clinical situations. In response to this challenge, our faculty developed a series of clinical simulations that test students' ability to think critically given selected patient scenarios. This concept was first instituted with graduating seniors in an effort to evaluate students prior to placement with nurse preceptors during their leadership practicum. After several semesters, faculty and students both recognized the value of evaluating and validating student performance of both psychomotor and critical thinking skills. The process has since been instituted at all levels of the curriculum. An overview of the development of this aspect of the curriculum along with descriptions of the testing process and clinical scenarios will be provided. An exemplar of a testing scenario will be given. Discussion of the difficulties of evaluating students and the standardization of such testing will be conducted. In addition, the complexities of implementing such a testing scheme will be explored.