Games Simulations Virtual Worlds In Nursing Education (Essay Sample)

Simulation in Nursing Education
Name
Institution
Simulation in Nursing Education
The purpose of the essay is to describe the simulation as a method of instructional delivery in heart failure topic. The audiences for the topic are nursing students. The aim of the simulation and topic is to improve the knowledge level of nursing students in heart failure topic. Simulation is the most appropriate tool for delivery of instructions on how to handle patients with heart failure conditions. Chism argues that the other reason for choosing the topic and the mode delivery(simulation) is that heart failure is the main contributor of readmission in hospitals and thus a major contributor in the high cost of health care provision (Chism, 2015). Therefore, a sound knowledge of heart failure topic will reduce the rate of readmission in hospitals and help reduce the cost of healthcare provision.
Rationale for the Study
In the face of advances in medical technology, patients with heart failure conditions are dying at an ever-increasing rate. Patients diagnosed with heart failure are predicted to have a shortened survival. As indicated in a study by Finegold, Asaria & Francis (2013) patients diagnosed with heart failure have approximately 50% readmission rate with 25%-35% of the cases ending up dead within 12 months period. From these statistics, the need for improved and creative instruction delivery to nurses is unavoidable. These students must be able to learn best ways of handling such patients. However, learning cannot be possible with real patients; therefore, simulation comes in handy in such instructional delivery process.
Design of The Study
The following section will describe the design of the simulation for a patient diagnosed with heart failure condition. The simulation will be used to train students on how to handle patients with similar or related medical conditions.
Scenario
Mathew Bowers is Dr. Clair patient. He is A & O X 3. S3 heart sound with a heart rate of 90 bits per minute, blood pressure 153/94, irregular rhythm of the heart. Respiration rate of 24, bilateral lung cracking sound, positive bowel sound in four quadrants, absences of abdominal pain. Intact skin 3+ edema pitting, Doppler. He has 16 Fr Foley catheter in place. The patients have been afebrile and deny any chest pain and related pain. The patient is on 2000cc fluid restriction due to a 0.9% NS running at 151cc per hour (Campbell & Daley, 2012). For the last 12 hours, his I/O was 550 out and 1200 in. Mathews lisinopril dosage was increased by Dr. Clair to 20mg from 10mg daily. Previous he lived alone at his home, however, during the hospitalization his son has remained at his bedside. The simulation is designed to take 20 minutes and each stage is as described in the table below.
Time

Actions of the patient

Interventions expected

Cues to follow

4-6 Minutes

The patients have been lying in bed.
The following information is available:
O2 Sat: 87%
T: 99.1
R: 27
P: 121
Blood pressure (BP) 174/92
Lungs: Loose cough/crackles

Shift change report:
* Perform cardiac and focused respiration assessments
* Elevated bed head
* Monitor O2 Stats.
* Increase O2 and call for PCP
* Document the orders using SBAR

Patient (Role player provide cue)
Patient: “My feet feel very puffy and I cannot gasp my breath.”
Son: “Nurse why is he struggling to breath? Is it due to another heart attack? Why are his legs feeling puffy?”
PCP:
Directs for Lasix 60 mg IV with Troponin stat, CPK, BNP, ABGs.
Bedrest the patient while maintaining O2 sat above 90%.

4-6 Minutes

Follow the instructions of the nurse and ask questions simultaneously
Answers
* Occasional cough
* O2 sat at 93%

* Call pharmacy and lab.
* Provide explanation to the patient and son on the plan of the care.
* Refer on administration of Lasix IVP and determine dosage.
* Collaboration of nurses regarding instructions given
* Question continuous use of IV fluids

Patient: “Please give me drinking water, I am so thirsty.”
Son: “Kindly explain to me how Lasix function?”
“He is not drinking any fluid… how comes he is retaining fluid?”
“You advised against fluids how come you administer IV fluids?”
“He is not going to put on his shoes his feet are becoming puffy!”

4-6 Minutes

Follow the nurse instructions

* Contact PCP to authenticate use of fluid IV.
* Give in IV Lasix.
* Contact PCP with results from the lab.

Patient: “for how long will the medication last?”
Son: what will be the signs to indicate that the medicine is working?”

Simulation as a tool for instructional delivery for nursing students has several advantages. However, any tool regardless of its advantages must have a pitfall. This section is divided into two subsections which are pros (advantages) and cons (disadvantages) of simulation.
Advantage of Simulation
The main advantage is the reduction of the risks (implications) of caring high-risk nursing procedures on human beings or other animals. These are made possible through simulation of the procedures in a safe environment a process referred to as Canary mineshaft theory. Through simulation, learners can improve their participation skills and learn from their mistakes (Michelle & Dana, 2013). The other major advantage is that nursing students and other learners can be able to understand the magnitude of the consequences of their actions. Since in simulation real environments are represented allowing the learners to have a clear clue of the reactions that would be presented by their clients.
Other advantages include first, the learners gain thinking skills and hands-on experience, including effective communication, decision making, procedures and knowledge in action. The learners can work as teams or individuals who allow them to explore human factors and their contact with the surrounding (environment). Second, the flexibility of simulation based learning- They can be set up at desired locations and time and can be repeated as many times as desired. Simulation can be carried out at the training facility or at high-level environment technological centers for simulation (Michelle & Dana, 2013). Third, it has direct relationships to the educational theories such as human factor education, social cognitive theory, andragogy (adult learning), experiential learning and constructivism.
Next, Studies have shown that simulation supports brain based learning theories developed by academicians. Fifth, simulation in most occasions broadens conversation learning ability of nursing students, improvement of their level of motivations and through the provision of opportunities and scaffolding of an understanding of each other’s perspective (Novice to Expert). Finally, it allows for instantaneous feedback on the performance of the students during such learning activities. This allows the students to understand what went right/wrong and suggestions for improvement. This learning strategy comes with peer reviews and video feedbacks for the students (Michelle & Dana, 2013).
Disadvantages of simulation
Real life situations are very difficult to accurately recreate and thus if the reliability lapses by just a second it tends to be very difficult to get the students back to the topic of discussion. Moreover, a simulation may not be suitable for all situations as there are other situations that may require different methods. Other disadvantages include fir...