Woda Aimee, Schnable Theresa, Alt-Gehrman Penny
About the Authors Aimee Woda, PhD, RN BC, is an assistant professor, Marquette University College of Nursing, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Theresa Schnable, MS, RN, ACNS-BC, is simulation coordinator and a clinical instructor, Marquette University College of Nursing. Penny Alt-Gehrman, MSN, RN, an assistant professor at Alverno College School of Nursing, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a graduate student at Marquette University College of Nursing. The authors acknowledge Sigma Theta Tau International and the National League for Nursing for funding this project. They also wish to thank the nursing instructors who shared their experiences. For more information, contact Dr. Woda at
Nurs Educ Perspect. 2019 Nov/Dec;40(6):364-366. doi: 10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000000443.
Little is known about clinical instructors' perceptions of student decision-making in relation to the block sequencing of simulation and traditional clinical experiences. Focus groups were conducted with 12 clinical instructors. Three common threads emerged from the data: right away, anxious but more confident, and scary and unsafe. Instructors noted that the more patient care experiences encountered, the more students developed efficient clinical decision-making skills. Major safety concerns regarding medication administration were identified, resulting in additional safety parameters instituted in the simulated environment.
