Published Works
Explore the 2023-2024 Sentinel U® Nursing Simulation Research Grant (SUNSRG) Findings
Understanding the Impact of Virtual Simulations on Nursing Education and Clinical Competencies
The 2023-2024 Sentinel U® Nursing Simulation Research Grant (SUNSRG) empowered four grant recipients at six academic institutions to investigate virtual simulations’ effects on key nursing competencies.
SUNSRG-supported research focused on various nurse learners, including Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNP), Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs), and Nurse Practitioners (NPs). Students and practitioners tested Sentinel U’s Advanced Practice Series® (covering PMH, IPT, Adult, Pediatrics, and Women’s Health modules) and the EMPOWER® Debrief to gain insights.
With support from our in-kind grants, the following institutions conducted specialized research using Sentinel U's advanced virtual simulations:
- University of Central Florida, University of Texas at Arlington, and Texas A&M (multi-site study)
- Bradley University
- South Dakota State University
- Queensland University of Technology
Each study explored unique elements of virtual simulations, such as developing clinical reasoning, enhancing interprofessional collaboration, and improving competency in high-stakes scenarios. Findings reveal that virtual simulations play a critical role in building confidence, fostering collaboration, and advancing essential clinical competencies with nurse learners.
Sentinel U’s Vice President Healthcare Innovation, Laura Gonzalez, PhD, APRN, CNE, CHSE-A, ANEF, FAAN, guided each team, ensuring the studies contribute to advancing nursing education. Some findings are currently under review for publication.
2023-2024 SUNSRG Insights
Discover how six institutions leveraged Sentinel U® virtual simulations to:
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Enhance clinical reasoning skills
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Improve interprofessional collaboration
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Boost student confidence and knowledge retention
Download the infographic today to uncover the full impact of virtual simulations on nursing education.
Positive Outcomes: Take a Closer Look
The use of Sentinel U® screen-based virtual simulations assists advanced practice nurse learners with key competencies and improve clinical reasoning skills, diagnosing and care planning confidence, communication skills, collaboration and autonomy, and overall practice readiness.
Advanced Practice Series® – Adult Typical Module
EMPOWER® Debrief
Multi-Site Study
Assessing the Impact of Virtual Simulations on Advanced Practice Nursing Education
University of Central Florida, University of Texas at Arlington, and Texas A&M
STUDY: Highlight the potential of virtual simulations in enhancing the education and preparation of advanced practice nurses. (N=74) Explore the impact of virtual simulations on clinical reasoning (CR) skills, as well as between students who started on-site clinical experiences compared to students who had not.
FINDINGS: The findings highlight that while confidence alone may not significantly impact CR scores across different scenarios, the specific content of the scenario and the confidence related to that content can influence diagnostic accuracy. Students with clinical experience performed better, emphasizing the importance of hands-on learning alongside virtual training.
Bradley University
Improving Interprofessional Education (IPE) Skills
STUDY: The Role of Simulation in NP Education:
- Skill development and competency assessment
- Enhancing real-world preparedness
- Evidence on the effectiveness of simulation in nursing education
- Using virtual simulation to Meet National Task Force (NTF) Standards in Nurse Practitioner Program
FINDINGS: Sentinel U’s virtual simulations effectively enhanced interprofessional education (IPE) competencies, particularly collaboration and communication. Participants reported positive learning experiences and personal growth.
The simulations demonstrated value in fostering teamwork and understanding diverse perspectives. These findings align with ANCC and NTF criteria for integrating virtual IPE with simulation for competency assessment.
South Dakota State University
Overcoming Rural Healthcare Education Challenges
STUDY: Assess the impact of screen-based simulation on family practice NP students’ perceived readiness for clinical practicum in rural or frontier settings.
FINDINGS: The research and debriefing sessions highlight that students had an overwhelmingly positive experience using screen-based simulations for pediatric and women’s health training, reporting increased confidence and no identified technology barriers. (N=24)
Screen-based simulations effectively filled gaps where traditional clinical settings were limited and provided access to high-risk patient populations. Students felt more confident in their skills and appreciated the access to high-risk patient cases. These simulations proved to be a valuable tool, especially in rural areas with limited clinical resources.
Queensland University of Technology
Enhancing Clinical Reasoning Skills Through Virtual Clinical Simulations
STUDY: Explore to what extent virtual clinical simulations impact on the learning experiences and skill development of Registered Nurses undertaking a Masters of Nurse Practitioner.
FINDINGS: Students who accessed virtual clinical simulations performed strongly in identifying diagnoses and developing care plans. All clinical reasoning domains demonstrated significant improvements in self-rating scores at the conclusion of the semester. Participants reported a high level of self-confidence (M=31.6, SD 6.3) and satisfaction (19.5, SD 4.5) with the virtual clinical simulations. Overall, students had strong performances, and the use of virtual clinical simulations proved effective in their clinical education.