Child Abuse Response Simulation for Advanced Practice Nursing Students.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this project was for advanced practice nursing students to gain experience taking a history from a parent or caregiver and communicating the treatment plan for an infant in which child abuse is suspected.

PROJECT: Fifty-three students participated in a 1:1 simulated encounter with a standardized patient acting as the mother of an infant with a leg injury that reportedly resulted from a fall from the couch. Students received feedback from the standardized patient via an assessment tool and debriefed with faculty immediately after the simulation.

OUTCOME: All students demonstrated empathy, acknowledged the mother's emotions, and communicated the concern for abuse. Additionally, all students explained the x-ray findings, need for hospital admission, and referral to investigative agency for further evaluation.

CONCLUSION

Simulations designed to provide advanced practice nursing students with experience interviewing a parent and responding in the case of suspected child abuse are an important method of preparing them for initial clinical encounters.