Clinical and Simulation Experiences
Clinical Experiences for Registered Nursing Programs
A registered nursing program shall provide clinical instruction that includes, at a minimum, selected and guided experiences that develop a student's ability to apply core principles of registered nursing in varied settings when caring for:
- Adult and geriatric patients with acute, chronic, and complex, life-threatening, medical and surgical conditions;
- Perinatal patients and families;
- Neonates, infants, and children;
- Patients with mental, psychological, or psychiatric conditions; and
- Patients with wellness needs.
A nursing program may utilize simulation in accordance with the clinical objectives of the course.
Skills Laboratory and Simulation Experience
The Skills Lab is where you will be introduced to new skills, be expected to practice, and be evaluated on your skills. Simulation activities will be integrated throughout your curriculum.
Definition of Skills – an inclusive term for psychomotor skills that includes rationale, critical thinking, physical assessment, and drugs and solutions
As you journey through your nursing program, you will spend time in the skills lab, whether you are learning new skills, reviewing previously learned skills, or being evaluated in preparation of clinical. Simulation activities will be a key component of all these elements, whether it is using a simple task trainer, or a complex full-bodied manikin or a peer. Critical thinking is encouraged by incorporating the rationale for what you are learning as well as understanding the nursing assessments and responsibilities that accompany these skills. Evaluation is a continuous process utilizing peer evaluations, course skills testing, and clinical experiences. The Simulation Director collaborates with the course faculty to coordinate nursing theory and clinical labs.
You can practice independently, with your peers, and with faculty to develop your skills. How much time you dedicate to practice is dictated by how quickly you learn and by the difficulty level of the skills. You have your own style and pace of learning; therefore, plan your time and needs accordingly. Practice may be completed during scheduled lab or simulation or on your own time. Testing will be during scheduled class lab or simulation time (course dependent). Currently, there is no mandatory time requirement for practice. Therefore, it would be beneficial to include lab practice time into your weekly schedules.
The skills lab is an integral part of your nursing education where you can overcome your own fears and insecurities while working with a variety of task trainers, simulators, and actual hospital equipment. By using the provided equipment and supplies, you can simulate a clinical environment where you can learn and practice safely without causing harm to your patients. The clinical setting is not a practice setting.
The primary goal of the skills lab is to provide an environment for you to become competent with your nursing skills and thereby become a safe practitioner while working towards excellence in nursing.