The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the need for 1.1 million new RNs in 2022.¹ Contributing factors include increased demand for care during the pandemic, nurse burnout, an aging population with complex medical needs, and retiring nurses and faculty.² In September 2021, the American Nurses Association urged the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to declare the current situation a national crisis.³

This shortfall isn’t for lack of interest in entering the nursing profession. 80,521 applicants were turned away by nursing schools in 2020 due to insufficient numbers of faculty, clinical sites, classroom space, clinical preceptors, and budget constraints.

Looking ahead, more nursing programs are turning to simulation to help them do more with less so they can continue to meet an urgent need. Below, we share how simulation in nursing education is playing a role in helping schools produce practice-ready nurses in 2022.

If one of your many worries is having enough clinical time for your students, you may want to consider growing your simulation program to provide assurance that hands-on opportunities are consistently available.

New data suggests that rates of preparedness in new nurse graduates are declining.

At the same time, schools are still battling faculty shortages. In a 2019 survey from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, nursing schools reported that faculty shortages were the top reason for not accepting more applicants into their programs.⁸ And, one third of nurse faculty in baccalaureate and graduate programs are expected to retire by 2025.⁹

These factors point to the need for efficient processes that ensure consistent, quality learning experiences, while identifying and addressing learning improvement needs early.

When considering the difference that an efficient process can make, think about a totally different industry, manufacturing. Manufacturers must ensure that every unit they produce is of consistent quality, with minimal wasted time or effort in the process. To accomplish this, many of these companies use data-driven process improvement and quality control approaches. These approaches involve measuring and analyzing data to uncover causes of variation and poor performance so that they can be improved. The healthcare field sometimes uses similar processes to identify and eliminate the causes of medical errors and to mitigate variability in care.¹⁰

When paired with careful measurement and assessment of performance data, simulation can help create a similar level of efficiency. Simulations ensure that each student gets the same quality consistent experience. Performance data insights can help uncover individual or cohort-level issues early so they can be ironed out immediately. The result? An efficient “manufacturing” process that churns out confident, prepared future nurses.

The ongoing adoption of technology in nursing education was accelerated by the pandemic as programs shifted rapidly to new and innovative ways of teaching. This situation illustrated the power of using simulation in various forms to strengthen clinical skills.

Looking ahead, many programs plan to continue embracing simulation and other technologies to facilitate both in-person and online learning. In a 2020 survey on future technology trends in nursing education, responses from 450 nursing administrators, faculty, and deans found that 39% plan to offer more online courses post-pandemic.¹¹ 48% of respondents intend to invest more in virtual simulation in the next 2 years, while 34% plan to invest more in high-fidelity manikins.¹²

With more programs increasingly using multiple forms of simulation, some simulation centers are implementing approaches to help organize and align their simulation activities with learning pathways. The SimZones framework is one such approach. Originally developed for the Boston Children’s Hospital Simulation Program, SimZones is a system for matching simulation delivery methods to specific learning needs.¹³ It separates simulation activities into four zones, with the learning goals increasing in complexity as students progress through each zone.

The first zone involves independent auto-feedback exercises, often using virtual simulation, while the next zone covers hands-on foundational clinical skills. Students then move on to acute situational simulations, followed by team and system development simulations. In the final zone, students practice in real patient care settings. This phased simulation learning journey allows students to “walk before they run” and build upon what they’ve learned before reaching a real patient.

1. Take advantage of any remaining funding sooner than later. If your department was granted funds from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) or other program, you may want to consider using it sooner than later. If you’ve already aligned with the rest of your group on how to use it, moving forward now will eliminate risk of losing funds to other priorities that might arise in 2022.
2. Invest in your faculty. Many nursing faculty feel that they aren’t adequately trained in new technologies.¹⁵ Investing in some faculty development will help them be more efficient.
3. Remember to tout your simulation program! Let the efforts you put into your program this year pay off in your recruiting initiatives. Applicants will likely be attracted to technology that will enhance their learning experience.