Abstract
The purpose of this project is to explore the benefits of simulation in providing nursing educators with an innovative, progressive, scenario-based template to utilize in the simulation environment. The current challenges in educating novice nurses include the lack of both faculty and clinical sites, shorter patient lengths of stay, and limited educational budgets. The increasing emphasis on safety in patient care emulates the focus in other high-risk industries and significantly affects the nursing education process. Healthcare simulation mimics real life clinical experiences in a risk-free environment, where students can safely practice patient interaction, assessment skills, technical skills, communication skills and interventions. Our project included the development of a multi-level simulation scenario based on a single complex patient case, and the validation of that scenario with first semester nursing students prior to their first clinical experience. Quantitative and qualitative evaluations positively demonstrated the effectiveness of the simulation experience.