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Simulation Education Program

The Lab learning spaces for the KU School of Nursing are located on the 1st floor of the School of Nursing.

The Lab learning spaces are equipped with advanced technology allowing students to learn necessary skills to prepare them for nursing roles in a variety of settings. Students develop technical skills within a deliberate practice framework. To support this framework, The Lab is equipped with large screen monitors for video displays, which can be controlled by the instructor or the students while practicing. In addition to experiences in The Lab, many students also participate in simulation experiences in other areas of KUMC and in modalities to support telehealth. 

The Undergraduate Nursing Student Experience

Nursing students participate in a variety of lab-based curricular activities intended to strengthen clinical judgment, decision making, delegation and teamwork skills. In the first part of the BSN curriculum, students learn the necessary physical assessment and psychomotor skills, through a deliberate practice model that promotes active and self-directed learning. After students have completed their basic skills training, they begin clinical courses, where they work alongside clinical faculty and registered nurses to care for patients in various settings, including hospitals, health-care clinics and schools.

To enhance learning, clinical courses are supplemented with lab sessions throughout the student’s undergraduate program. These lab sessions offer opportunities to practice nursing skills, while simulations allow students to practice the skills in the context of a patient case. Simulations also focus on developing teamwork strategies, such as communication and crisis resource management. The simulation curriculum is built to provide students with opportunities to practice strategies and interventions they may not otherwise encounter or do independently during their clinical education rotations.

The Graduate Nursing Student Experience

Graduate nursing students participate in several types of lab-based curricular activities. All students seeking an advanced degree in a clinical specialty area can expect to use The Lab for procedure training and simulation-based education. These experiences help prepare students for their clinical practice site experiences.

Midwifery students experience several manikin-based simulations with a high-fidelity birthing manikin. The labor and birth simulations include a normal labor and delivery and complications, such as shoulder dystocia or hemorrhage. In addition to manikin-based simulation, midwifery students participate in standardized simulations using live actors. These standardized patient experiences are for primary care and procedure training in care of patients in primary, sexual/reproductive health, prenatal, labor/birth, postpartum, and newborn care.

Family Nurse Practitioner (NP) and Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP students participate in several out-patient, standardized patient simulations.

The Psych/Mental Health NP students also experience standardized patients in virtual settings, to simulate telemental health visits.

Lab faculty

The Lab employs faculty who are responsible for developing, providing, and evaluating simulated learning experiences. These expert nurses facilitate small groups of learners during procedural skills training sessions, as part of their role in The Lab.

To inquire about The Lab learning spaces and learning experiences, contact Laura Klenke-Borgmann, Ph.D., RN, CHS. Clinical Learning Skills Lab employs graduate teaching assistants each semester. The graduate teaching assistants work closely with faculty to provide excellent simulated learning environments. Particularly, these expert nurses facilitate small groups of learners during procedural skills training sessions.

 

Nursing students embracing at graduation

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