Essential Primary Health Care Skills: Virtual Simulations for Nurse Practitioner Education.

BACKGROUND

Practice-based learning is essential in nurse practitioner (NP) education to ensure public safety and prepare students for independent practice. However, lack of clinical placement opportunities results in variability in clinical experience, necessitating educational innovation.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usability, engagement, and impact of the Essential Skills for Nurse Practitioners virtual simulations (VS).

METHODS

Four VS covering concussion management, Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD), memory concerns in older adults, and prescribing medical cannabis were evaluated across 3 Canadian universities using self-assessment competency rubrics and the Classroom Instructional Support Perception (CRiSP) scale.

RESULTS

Competencies improved significantly across all VS, with highest improvement in concussion management. CRiSP results indicated high usability and engagement with all VS, underscoring their effectiveness.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings indicate VS can enhance students' readiness to manage complex clinical situations and help address clinical placement shortages.