The Effectiveness of Virtual Clinical Simulation on the Transferability of Clinical Nursing Skills to Practice: A Qualitative Interview Study

The transformation of nursing education is necessary to meet the challenges of the health care environment. The implementation of technology has affected nursing, health care, and nursing education. This dissertation analyzed the use, implementation, and integration of virtual clinical simulations (VCS) as emerging technology in nursing education and practice. Although past researchers have studied simulation, the literature revealed limited research regarding the transferability of skills learned through a VCS to actual practice. The purpose of this qualitative interview study was to determine the impact of the use of a VCS program called Shadow Health on critical thinking, clinical reasoning skills, and psychomotor skills, and the transferability of those skills learned in an online Health Assessment course to real-world application. Participants included 10 matriculated RN-to-BSN students in an online program from a northeastern state university currently employed as Registered Nurses in various health care settings. Data were gathered using an open-ended, semi-structured interview guide and interviews occurred remotely using a ZOOM meeting room. Open coding procedures and the software program ATLAS.ti were used for data analysis. Participants shared experiences identifying the transfer of knowledge and skill from VCS to actual nursing practice. Five themes emerged: (a) increased awareness of assessments, (b) increased self-confidence, (c) improved recognitions of patient status or condition, (d) improved communication skills, and (e) application of assessment skills and techniques. The findings add to the current literature on VCS and have important implications for nursing education programs, professional development nursing programs, and interprofessional education programs seeking to use VCS as alternative clinical experiences.