When it comes to enrolling in nursing school, not all nursing programs are created equal. Ideally, you'll want to select a program that provides a balance of traditional classroom learning and practical, hands-on experience. One of the ways in which aspiring nurses can gain valuable hands-on learning experience in such a program is by spending time in a nursing simulation lab.
What exactly is a nursing simulation lab, and what are the benefits of having access to one as a nursing student? We dive into this below, along with some practical tips for students preparing to work in a nursing lab for the first time.
A nursing simulation lab refers to a dedicated space that is designed to mimic the look and feel of a real clinical setting, such as a hospital room or outpatient clinic. Inside these labs, students will find hospital beds, simulation manikins, medical supplies, health monitors, and everything else you would typically see in a patient's room.
During a simulation lab visit, students may be tasked with any number of scenarios where they can practice the clinical skills they've been learning about in class. For example, they may be presented with a medical manikin and asked to evaluate its symptoms or take some other action while instructors and fellow students observe.
After a student's time in a sim lab, they may receive useful feedback from instructors based on what they did right and areas of clinical practice they may need to improve upon. Nursing simulation labs can be an excellent way for nursing students to practice real patient care scenarios and put their critical thinking skills to the test in a realistic setting.
Within a nursing simulation center, there may be various kinds of simulations at play. In some cases, a lab may offer just one type. Either way, it's essential for nursing students to understand different types of nursing simulations used in these labs today.
Some labs use low-fidelity simulations, which tend to be more generic and less realistic in nature. For instance, a low-fidelity lab may have medical manikins, but the manikins may not be interactive and thus will not respond to a student's clinical actions. Still, low-fidelity simulations can hold some value in providing an environment where students can practice essential skills outside of the classroom.
High-fidelity nursing simulations tend to be the most realistic because they most accurately reflect real-world scenarios. A high-fidelity medical manikin, for example, may actually be able to react to stimuli and tends to look more realistic than low-fidelity manikins.
In high-fidelity simulations, it may also be possible for a nursing instructor to control a medical manikin in real time. This way, the instructor can have a greater sense of control over the simulation and the specific clinical skills on which each student will be tested.
While more expensive to outfit and maintain than a low-fidelity nursing simulation lab, a high-fidelity sim lab provides students with the most realistic experience. This, in turn, can help them enter the nursing field with sharper skills and a greater sense of confidence.
In recent years, more nursing schools have begun incorporating virtual simulations into their labs as well. In a virtual simulation, nurses may wear a virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) headset where they are transported to a simulated hospital room or clinic room. From there, students may be tasked with anything from drawing a patient's blood to performing emergency life-saving measures on a virtual patient.
With recent advancements in VR and AR technology, these simulations can be highly realistic plus cut down on the costs associated with building complex, high-fidelity simulation labs. Still, some might argue that there is no replacement for a tangible lab — although VR or AR simulations can certainly be a useful supplement to a real sim lab.
Regardless of the type of simulation lab and equipment used, nursing students can enjoy numerous benefits by having access to a sim lab as part of their education.
For starters, a nursing simulation lab gives students the unique opportunity to practice what they've been learning in the classroom in a realistic yet safe setting. This thereby leads to an improved overall learning experience. Putting theory into practice can enhance recall and retention while helping students see firsthand how different nursing concepts can be applied to real-world scenarios.
In addition to enhancing the learning experience, working in a nursing simulation lab can lead to improved patient safety for nurses in actual clinical settings down the road (such as during clinical rotations). That's because students will have already had the opportunity to make mistakes in a sim lab setting and see the potential impacts of those mistakes for themselves. As a result, they may be less likely to repeat these mistakes when caring for patients.
Finally, being in a nursing simulation lab offers the opportunity for students to receive immediate feedback and evaluation. If a student makes a mistake when working with a high-fidelity medical manikin, the manikin will respond appropriately (some medical manikins can even simulate death). Meanwhile, because instructors observe students while they are working in a nursing simulation lab, this gives them the opportunity to provide instant feedback to students on areas where they may need to improve.
Entering a nursing simulation lab for the first time as a nursing student can feel somewhat daunting, but there are some small steps students can take to prepare for this experience.
First, take the time to thoroughly study the clinical skills and theories that will be evaluated during your sim lab experience. The more knowledge you have going into the experience, the better prepared you'll be for whatever simulation you face.
Speaking of preparation, don't hesitate to ask your instructors for a tour of the simulation lab before your first actual simulation. Being able to see the lab for yourself ahead of time will help you get a better feel for the setup as well as learn the locations of medical equipment and other gear you may need in your simulation.
Additionally, keep in mind that a simulation lab is a place where nursing students can (and will) make mistakes. The key, of course, is to learn from those mistakes so you don't repeat them in a real clinical setting. Regardless, you should not go into a nursing sim lab with the expectation that you'll do everything perfectly. Every student will make mistakes as they navigate new experiences, and being hard on yourself about them only prevents you from building your confidence and self-esteem as a nursing professional.
When it comes to nursing simulation labs, having access to a state-of-the-art facility as a student can make all the difference. At Nebraska Methodist College, our Nursing Arts Center offers the latest technology and equipment to help students get the most out of their experience.
In fact, NMC's Nursing Arts Center has received a $70,000 grant for new birthing simulators to expand pediatric and obstetric learning experiences in 2024. As Dean of Nursing Mindy Barna explains, "This invaluable support will be used to advance our mission in providing educational experiences that prepare nursing students to excel and positively influence the health and well-being of the community."
These new simulators, in addition to the existing equipment at the Nursing Arts Center, provide students with a truly unique learning experience that they can carry into their clinical rotations and nursing careers.
Spending time in a nursing simulation lab is an ideal way to practice your clinical skills in a realistic setting. Over time, being in a nursing simulation lab will help you grow accustomed to the sights and sounds of a real healthcare setting — so when it's finally time for you to work with patients, you'll be better prepared to handle any challenge that comes your way.
When choosing a nursing program, it's crucial to select one that offers a state-of-the-art nursing simulation lab. At Nebraska Methodist College (NMC), we take great pride in our Nursing Arts Center, which is designed to help students build confidence and proficiency during their time in our programs. This nursing simulation lab, combined with our comprehensive and career-ready curriculum, can prepare you for the realities of the nursing field.
Learn more about our nursing programs at Nebraska Methodist College by reaching out today. Ready to get started? Fill out your online application.