Virtual Interprofessional Learning Due to COVID-19.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated sweeping changes in a neonatal nurse practitioner (NNP) program's approach to distance-accessible learning. Prioritizing student learning and safety, we developed a new alternative model for individualized simulation. METHOD: The scenario created for a student to deliver an unexpected diagnosis of trisomy 21, or Down syndrome, to a postpartum mother was redesigned to take place using web-conference technology. RESULTS: We successfully transitioned the planned in-person individualized simulation for NNP students delivering an unexpected diagnosis to a web-conference environment and added nurse-midwifery (NM) students. CONCLUSION: This simulation presented an authentic clinical situation encountered in practice, supporting the specialty-specific competencies for the NNP, NM, and core competencies for interprofessional collaborative practice. The web-conference platform is an effective strategy for simulation. Advanced practice nurses completing individualized simulation through technology are uniquely poised to leverage these skills as telemedicine increasingly influences their future clinical practice. [J Nurs Educ. 2021;60(6)346-351.].