The use of the clinical experience for nursing education is a basic requirement. The participation in “clinical” is eagerly anticipated as an integral part of the nursing students learning experience (Khishigdelger, L., 2016) From the faculty perspective, it is impossible to provide exposure to every experience. In many instances, even the most critical interventions or those experiences fundamental to objectives of the course cannot be offered. The use of the technology of simulation is widespread and demonstrated to be valuable for development of clinical skills at any level (Kapucu, S., 2017). On a more basic level, incorporation of communication competencies into clinical scenarios allows the student to practice hand off, nurse to nurse communication and provider education.
Methods:
This project evaluated the student’s perception of communication as a competency when woven into high risk clinical scenarios. The impact of successful inter-professional communication was stressed prior to the scenario. Student’s experience and knowledge regarding communication techniques, clarity of expression and importance and impact of clinical communication was assessed using an anonymous survey.
Results:
Benefits of the use of simulation for clinical competency were evaluated. Students recognized the importance Students were able to identify self- improvement in communication and hand off particularly with respect to high risk situations. The impact of the relationship between effective communication and management of high risk situations was realized.
Conclusion:
Communication should be a skill identified as a learning outcome for each clinical scenario developed for simulation. The assessment of nursing students’ utilization of communication strategies in an inter-professional manner is a critical appraisal to be made by faculty in any setting. Use of simulation technology allows this to occur in a safe and protected arena. Use of simulation for communication evaluation is a low fidelity mechanism easily translated into any nursing program. Samples of interwoven scenarios for patient teaching and high risk clinical situations will be provided.