Comorbid HIV Infection and Opioid Use Disorder Simulation for Nurse Practitioner Students.

BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and opioid use disorder (OUD) often occur as comorbid conditions. Many nurse practitioners are treating these conditions in their practice. PROBLEM: Most advanced practice registered nursing (APRN) students do not encounter a medically complex patient with both HIV infection and OUD during their clinical experiences. APPROACH: We present an unfolding simulated standardized patient scenario involving both HIV infection and OUD for APRN students. During each of 3 semesters, the students encounter the patient as he presents for a sexually transmitted infection, an OUD relapse, and, finally, new-onset HIV infection. The scenarios become increasingly complex as the students progress in their clinical experiences. CONCLUSION: This innovative series of scenarios introduces APRN students to complex comorbid patient situations, with many issues to consider.

Intimate Partner Violence Standardized Patient Simulation for Nurse Practitioner Students.

OBJECTIVE: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health threat in the United States, affecting millions of individuals and families. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing recommends that nursing programs, both baccalaureate and graduate, provide students didactic training and clinical experience in the assessment and management of IPV. Our goal was to expose Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) students and Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) students to a simulated IPV scenario so they are prepared to respond appropriately to a survivor's disclosure of IPV when they begin clinical practice. METHODS: We integrated a patient simulation scenario into our PMHNP and FNP curriculum. A combined group of PMHNP and FNP students participated in a simulation in which the standardized patient provided an unlikely explanation for her injuries. If students inquired about abuse, the patient revealed that she had experienced IPV. A pre- and posttest survey was used to evaluate student knowledge gain before and after the participating in the scenario. A Related Samples Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test was used to evaluate the results. RESULTS: Compared with pretest scores, students demonstrated improved confidence in screening for IPV as well as responding to a disclosure of IPV. CONCLUSION: Simulation provides a method to enhance student knowledge of incidence, risk, and best practices in relation to the screening, assessment and management of IPV.

Development of a Multisite Nursing Simulation Work Group Focusing on the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning Standards.

BACKGROUND: Simulation faculty development refers to the education of faculty in preparation and facilitation of simulation-based experiences. A college of nursing with six campuses implemented a simulation work group to ensure consistent simulation faculty development across six campuses. METHOD: The simulation work group was formed in four stages and used the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning Standards as a framework for standardizing simulation. The work group consisted of 14 faculty from five nursing campuses. Members were recruited via email, telephone call, or a simulation newsletter. RESULTS: Challenges were identified and addressed. Work group implementation has provided the simulation program with new initiatives and a unified scheduling system, budget, standardized debriefing, and student evaluation method. CONCLUSION: With the greater dependence on simulation as an educational modality, implementation of a simulation work group may enable collaboration and growth across campuses while decreasing the disparity of simulation experiences. [J Nurs Educ. 2021;60(3):165-168.].

The growing need to provide training in clinical procedures in family nurse practitioner educational programs.

ABSTRACT: Family nurse practitioners (FNPs) have a plethora of employment options upon graduation. Besides primary care, many are working in nontraditional settings such as urgent care, emergency departments, retail health, and specialty practices. In many of these settings, practitioners are required to perform procedures. However, more information is needed on the type of settings in which recent FNP graduates are working, the procedures being performed in these settings, and the perceptions of graduates of how prepared they felt to perform these procedures. Family nurse practitioners who completed an FNP program within the previous five years and who attended the 2019 AANP National Conference were invited to participate in a survey to assess their preparation in clinical procedures. Results revealed that more than half of the 198 respondents reported doing incision and drainage of abscesses and laceration repair. Respondents were divided on how they first learned to perform the procedures, with 47% stating that a preceptor demonstrated procedures to them during a clinical practicum experience, 42% stating that they learned on the job after graduation, and 43% reported that their FNP program provided training or simulation activities related to procedures. More than a quarter of respondents reported that they took a class on procedures. In all, 61% reported that they did not feel adequately prepared to perform procedures on graduation. Results indicated that colleges of nursing should ensure that FNP students have opportunities to master the procedures that are frequently performed by FNPs.