Outcomes of a Simulation-Based Nurse Residency Program

Nurse residency programs integrating simulation offer a consistent, replicable orientation process and support the ability to evaluate competency development, provide standardized experiences and evaluation, and detect and remediate learning needs.

Abstract

Background This novel nurse residency program extensively used human patient simulation to assist recent nurse graduates in becoming safe and competent clinicians. Method Novice nurses practiced clinical skills and developed competencies using scenario-based simulations specifically designed to replicate urgent clinical situations. Results The use of human patient simulators and simulated scenarios rapidly increased the competencies of the nurse residents and their confidence and self-assessed readiness to provide care to patients, as well as decreasing length of orientation and rate of turnover. Conclusion Nurse residency programs integrating simulation offer a consistent, replicable orientation process and support the ability to evaluate competency development, provide standardized experiences and evaluation, and detect and remediate learning needs.