Development of a Simulation-Based Virtual Learning Activity to Facilitate Clinical Decision-Making in ACNP Students

Abstract :

Background: Effective clinical decision-making (CDM) by acute care nurse practitioners (ACNPs) is critical to patient safety. Unfortunately, opportunities for faculty to evaluate the CDM of their students are limited. Evidence supports the need for an evaluation of CDM in ACNP students prior to graduation. The purpose of this presentation is to demonstrate the development and utilization of a virtual escape room to observe and evaluate CDM in ACNP students.

Methods: A virtual escape room utilized with ACNP students to evaluate CDM. During the escape room, competency with clinical skills was assessed. Seventeen ACNP students were placed into four groups (4-5 students per group). Required activities included interpretation of a chest X-ray, computerized tomography of the head and abdomen, and Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma (FAST) exam as well as knowledge of the proper procedure for chest tube placement, preoperative care, and overall plan of care. The escape room was a timed activity and they could not move on until they completed the task-at-hand accurately. The time to completion was the main evaluation strategy.

Results: The mean time for completion of the escape room by the groups was 37:28 (31:46-46:57). Thirteen students completed a post-event survey. This feedback indicated that the students valued the escape room experience as an opportunity to demonstrate their teamwork and CDM.

Conclusion: The virtual escape room was a effective strategy to validate competencies of ACNP students in multiple aspects of CDM in order to facilitate the provision of safe, effective, high quality care to patients.