Bridging the Gap With Simulations
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here is a chasm in professional nursing known as the readiness to practice gap. It is the disparity between newly licensed nurses at the onset of their career and their ability to deliver quality and safety in patient care. Nancy Duffy, DNP, RN, CEN, CNE, former director of the undergraduate program explains, “The literature shows that a majority of nursing faculty believe they have educated a nurse who is ready to practice upon graduation. Inversely, the majority of hospital and health system nurse executives disagree.” A 2009 National League for Nursing survey revealed that clinical faculty reported that 70 percent of their supervision time was spent evaluating clinical skills, yet the novice nurse is not seen as fully prepared to provide care. Teresa Atz, MSN, RN, assistant professor, adds, “The gap is alarming given the acuity, complexity and short stays of hospitalized patients. The third leading cause of death is preventable medical errors. Enrollment in Medicaid is growing and the number of Medicare eligible seniors is expected to double by 2030. This rise in the number of individuals entering the health care system increases the potential for errors and negative health outcomes.” Dr. Duffy and Ms. Atz, with expertise from Healthcare Simulation of South
Simulation activities are helping bridge the practice gap.
Carolina, have been working to address the readiness to practice gap. Dr. Duffy reports, “We have developed system-based simulations that address care of the patient with imbedded procedural and non-technical skills. So far we have completed respiratory, cardiac, endocrine and neurologic modules with pediatric cases in development.” Ms. Atz explains, “With these simulations, the student has the opportunity to care for a veteran with traumatic brain injury, an adult with diabetes insipidus following a craniotomy, and a hospitalized child with Munchausen’s by Proxy. The procedural skills range from calculating and administering intravenous medications to responding to a situation where the patient has pulled out a chest tube.” These simulation modules, which are available for purchase, are a bridge
to the readiness to practice gap. They emphasize the nurse as a problem solver, capable of functioning in a complex environment and avoid the trap of nurse as a taskmaster of purely clinical procedures. “The College of Nursing wants to assure that the Accelerated BSN graduates are able to provide safe and quality care wherever they practice,” Dr. Duffy says.
Nancy Duffy, DNP, RN, CEN, CNE is the MUSC College of Nursing’s former undergraduate program director. She recently moved to NC to start a nursing program at Campbell University.
Teresa Atz, MSN, RN is an assistant professor in the MUSC College of Nursing.
Simulation modules are available for purchase in the Laerdal SimStore. Offering quality educational content and materials for users of all levels and backgrounds. Also provides educators with an easy-to-use, efficient tool for delivering simulation-based curricula. In SimStore you’ll find resources for virtually every step in the simulation experience, from full curricula and stand-alone scenarios to building blocks like trends, handlers, and multimedia.
To order, visit SimStore on the web at www.laerdal.com/us/SimCenter Fall | Winter 2013
Lifelines
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