A Collaborative Simulation: Navigating Care and Advocacy of Diverse Patients in Crisis

Abstract :

Background: Collaboration and cultural competence are essential to nursing practice. Despite strides toward cultural humility and inclusivity, diverse populations continue to suffer health disparities. SBT allows nursing students to explore sensitive topics safely as part of a multidisciplinary team while surveying their own biases and engaging in open discussions with faculty and classmates. Designed using INASCL Standards of Best Practice, this simulation allows faculty to address concepts such as gender identity and family conflict while promoting teamwork, communication, collaboration, and inclusivity in a safe, non-threatening environment.

Method: Keeping in line with INASCL standards, the faculty created the scenario based on a transgender adolescent with suicidal ideations and an uncooperative parent. Over a one-week period, 80 baccalaureate students cared for this family unit throughout an ER visit which culminates in a mental health evaluation. Knowledge and skills gained through this experience will improve the future care students provide to diverse populations.
Outcomes: Student outcomes emphasize therapeutic communication, collaboration, and safety. Evaluation methods include post-simulation surveys and de-briefings. Three themes emerged during the debriefings: empathy, communication, and safety. Faculty found this learning experience ideal for students to process their perceptions while fine-tuning the soft skills needed to create a safe and inclusive environment.

Conclusion: Nurse educators should tailor simulation scenarios to incorporate didactic concepts such as ethics, diversity, and conflict management in order to afford students an opportunity to learn skills needed to provide safe, effective, and inclusive care.