Virtual Clinical Simulations in an Online Advanced Health Appraisal Course

Background: Acquisition of knowledge and skills by nurse practitioner students before real-life practice is a familiar nursing education challenge. Methods: Virtual clinical simulations (VCSs) using Digital Clinical Experience (TM) were introduced in an advanced health appraisal course to explore how these VCSs affected students' learning and perception of their simulation experience as a learning strategy in an online course using a quasi-experimental design. Differences for intervention (VCS) and control groups (no VCS) were measured. Results: No significant difference was revealed in course grades, integrated performance proficiency scores, or in National League of Nursing simulation scores. Conclusion: The integration of VCSs into current standardized online course content as an adjunctive learning experience warrants additional evaluation. (c) 2015 International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.