Virtual Simulation Technology Proposal Essay example
Virtual Simulation Technology Proposal
Executive Summary
The integration of technology with nursing education came as strategy to meet training needs at a time when there was a significant shortage of sites to conduct clinical trials while demonstrating a continuous approach to meet the demands of highly trained and qualified personnel, prepared to deliver quality care. Across the globe, healthcare deliver continues to become ICT driven Virtual Simulation Technology Proposal Essay example. Digital learning is not only growing in popularity but also in its utilization, with creative ways of engaging learners to acquire, manage, and utilize knowledge. The integration of technology in nursing education guarantees learners with several advantages such as; improved clinical reasoning, knowledge retention, ease of access and user flexibility.
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The author conducted a systematic methodological needs assessment to identify the gaps that existed in knowledge and skills between current and proposed education practices. The author used a structured survey to obtain information from stakeholders. The findings demonstrated that the introduction and integration of a new form of technology; Laerdal Medical, to nursing education through a change in the curriculum can significantly influence the clinical reasoning, knowledge retention, critical thinking, and decision-making of students. Laerdal Medical will not only be beneficial to learners, but will also promote the faculty and organizations’ effort to attain its mission vision, and goals.
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To ensure that learner’ needs were adequately addressed and guaranteed higher success rates through the most current, standard, and evidence-based teaching methods, the author obtained stakeholder insights in regards to the implementation of Laerdal Medical platform.
Virtual Simulation Technology Proposal
Advancements in Healthcare Information Technology (HIT) influence healthcare systems across the globe. Private and public healthcare organizations in the US have incorporated IT in in varying degrees in service delivery, starting with automated systems for hospitalization, to computerized medical equipment, and EHRs for stock control. Nursing is a critical component of the healthcare system. According to Bradshaw, Hultquist, & Hagler (2020), efficient and effective utilization of IT depends on nurses’ skills, knowledge, and attitude towards IT. In the last decade, nursing schools have responded to the IOM (Institute of Medicine) and AACN (American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) calls to increase the safety of patients through nursing IT. by integrating IT systems in the learning-teaching environment. Today, most nursing programs have also embraced e learning to enable nursing students study remotely.
IT is a valuable and powerful tool to support learning. Its integration in nursing education provides instructors with innovative learning and teaching strategies to promote active participation of nursing students in the learning process. Conklin & Bove (2021) highlight that although it has several benefits, organizational, financial, and technological challenges are also a reality. Financial constraints and poor infrastructure can result in impaired learning, disappointment, and resistance to the acquisition of IT skills in nursing education. Inadequate supervision and training in IT can make learners to feel overwhelmed. Due to the increasing utilization of technology in the delivery of healthcare services, it is important to ensure that nurse leaners are highly competent to utilize IT in clinical settings upon graduation. In this change proposal, the author recommends the integration of virtual simulation technology in a new curriculum of nurses as an attempt to meet their training needs. The integration of IT in nursing education has proven to guarantee the success of learners, to enhance the learning experience, and improve learning outcomes.
Literature Review (B)
Credible Sources
Please refer to Appendix A: Table 1. Literature Review Summary Table
Sources Summary
The author conducted a search for literature for articles between January 2016 and December 2021 in the electronic databases of Medline, PubMed, EbcoHost, and CINAHL using the keywords; nursing education, virtual, technology, and simulation, yielding 32 articles. The author applied an inclusion criterion of articles within the past 5 years, and those that only discussed about the integration of virtual simulation technology in nursing education. Only seven articles met the criterion from which the author selected five for the literature review. In this section, the author reviews literature on the use of technology in education and identifies gaps in using technology in nursing education. The common themes consistent across literature were:
According to Shin et al., (2019), effective learning and teaching incorporates the participation of learners, structured mechanisms of education, summative and formative evaluations. Presently, most education programs focus on learner-centered paradigms. These paradigms base on constructivism, experiential, and active learning. It is with this orientation that virtual simulation in education evolved, which positions the engagement of learners as a critical factor of successful education. In nursing education, experts introduced simulation methods to help in training in clinical practice. In motivation, communication, self-learning, and problem solving, simulation methods appear to be very effective. However, potential barriers related to time, a high cost of manikins, and, the labor-intensive nature of simulation has prompted most nurse faculties to resort to virtual simulation as an alternative. Virtual simulation is easy to implement, is cost-effective, and enhances the experiences of learners. Shin et al., (2019) found three factors that inspired the engagement of learners in virtual simulation to attain learning outcomes; affordance, immersion, and presence. In practice, the implementers can utilize the strategies of interaction, representation, platform, algorithm, and modeling to address the aforementioned characteristics. General simulation characteristics were; teaching method, theoretical framework, debriefing method, simulation feedback, outcome, and scenario. Active-learning strategies such as case-based, problem–based, and team-based are the most effective and frequently used in virtual simulation since they center on learner engagement.
Chen et al., (2020) conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) on nursing education in regards to skills, knowledge, performance time, satisfaction, and confidence. The researchers acknowledge that, with the continuous advancement of VR technology, nursing education has undergone significant transformations and continues to become increasingly affordable. Instructors have used VR to teach several concepts in nursing such as decision-making, leadership, critical thinking, communication, disaster triage, and inclusivity. Simulations using VR provides learners with the opportunity to practice skills in a safe environment, which eliminates risks to patients. For knowledge, compared to traditional education methods, VR is more effective since it promotes a highly interactive learning environment, which encourages learners to connect between concepts. For skills, satisfaction, and confidence, VR education methods have minimal to no significant impact. A significant reason for this outcome is the existence of a potential gap between real practice and completion of virtual cases. Due to the immaturity of VR technology, the nursing skills that learners obtain from virtual platforms may not be transferable to practical situations. Besides, learners’ satisfaction can differ based on technical conditions and technologies used. Since VR cannot smoothly transfer the skills learned via VR education methods to real situations, it decreases the confidence levels of its users.
Díaz et al., (2021) compared differences in the outcomes between virtual simulation and high-fidelity Manikin-Based groups (HFPS). There were differences in knowledge acquisition, which indicated the significance of first determining the efficiency, cost-effeteness, convenience, and efficacy of replacing face-to-face clinical hours with HFPS as nursing programs continue to integrate simulation and technology in the nursing curriculum. In clinical practice, if nursing programs should integrate virtual simulation to nursing education, the nurse faculty must acquire numerous facilitators, use consistent simulation methods, with standardized methods. Replacing clinical practice with virtual simulation promotes the exposure of nursing learners to large populations, and different patient populations. By caring for virtual patients, this opportunity allows learners to gain the much-needed experience with little to no negative impact on learner’s outcomes. At times of limited practicum sites or during public health crises, demonstrations for specific specialties such as obstetrics and pediatrics that compare placement in different clinical settings are important.
According to Padilha et al., (2019), the integration of technology in nursing education has availed high-fidelity simulators, which have influenced changes in the paradigm of health education by improving how learners acquire skills and knowledge, while strengthening safety and quality in practice. Virtual simulation improves the retention of knowledge, clinical reasoning, and learners’ satisfaction, without jeopardizing efficiency. As a pedagogical strategy, that fits the learning ways and expectations of nursing curriculum, nurse instructors can combine virtual simulation with strategies such as briefing and debriefing to improve the retention of knowledge and clinical reasoning of the 21st generation nursing students in nursing education.
In a pilot study to compare outcomes with DCE (Digital Clinical Experiences) to written case studies, Turrise, Thompson & Hepler, (2020) used a randomized design to evaluate of the confidence, critical thinking, and satisfaction levels of twenty-seven RN-BSN nursing students enrolled in an online pathophysiology-pharmacology course. The researchers acknowledge the use of virtual simulation to provide nurse learners with opportunities to interact with virtual and computerized patients and experience real-life clinical scenarios. Virtual simulation equips learners with clinical reasoning, decision-making skills, communication, and motor control skills. In nursing, critical thinking is a mandatory for clinical and diagnostic reasoning. Virtual simulation increases learners’ clinical reasoning based on needs by allowing them to apply evidence-based decision making to manage virtual patients, to formulate diagnoses, and help with clinical reasoning. However, when using virtual simulation, nurse instructors must emphasize about learning from mistakes, communication, formative assessments, and self-assessments. In the learning process, nurse instructors can allow students to use virtual patient case studies and reflect on their experiences. A perfect example in this category is the Shadow Health DCE, which allows immersive interaction and experience with standard patients digitally through a conversation engine.
Knowledge Gaps (B3)
Some studies, particularly meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and randomized controlled trials that evaluate the impact of virtual reality on nursing education outcomes use very few studies or sample groups albeit with varying interventions. Other studies fail to describe blinding methods, and issues related to allocation concealment and sequence generation (Chen et al., 2020). This ultimately affects the heterogeneity of the results and creates a gap in knowledge as to whether researchers and educators can apply the findings of these studies to wider populations.
There exists a gap in knowledge on the ethical considerations for learners using virtual simulation. Most studies that seek to evaluate the integration of technology or virtual simulation in nursing education do not use theoretical frameworks or rather address ethical considerations. Instead, researchers use structured frameworks and rarely consider human participants and their overall mental health, including warnings, safety procedures, and devices (Shin et al., 2019). Information on the ethics of using virtual reality and its approval to do so is crucial since just as entertainment property, can result in ethical issues related to doubts, addiction, and confusion.
Although virtual simulation increases the feasibility of the classroom context, widens the scenarios available digitally, and influences a reduction in simulation costs per student (Padilha et al., 2019), educators are yet to establish whether it particularly influences long-term knowledge retention as most studies use shorter durations during follow-up. In the study by Turrise, Thompson & Hepler (2020), the researchers used a very short time frame to evaluate outcomes among participants. This leaves a gap in knowledge as to whether there the time-frame duration has an influence on learners’ ability to improve their critical thinking skills while using virtual simulation. In the study by Díaz et al., (2021), the researchers conducted a pretest and posttest within one week, which was perhaps a very short duration to capture knowledge retention.
Needs Assessment (C1)
Need-Gap Analysis
In an ever-changing industry where there are new technologies being invented and a nursing curriculum that keeps being restructured, there is need for a methodological approach that will ensure the achievement of a situation whereby the emerging technology will be integrated into the current curriculum (Foronda & Bauman, 2014). The integration of the new technology will help the learners to effortlessly transition from learners into highly trained practitioners to meet the patient expectations. A system that is both systematic and methodological is required, to identify whether the current and proposed technology meet learning activities. This process will help to ascertain whether the existing capabilities within the curriculum are effective and to identify gaps between the required and existing modality.
The author will conduct a survey among stakeholders to inquire enquiring about current practices, knowledge, skills, barriers, gaps, needs and best practices compared to the target outcomes post-implementation of the proposed technology. This knowledge and information is critical to identifying existing gaps and developing effective measures to bridge the gaps, while making the learning process more beneficial.
Stakeholders
The alignment of key stakeholders results in decisions that are more precise and effective. This therefore means that stakeholders play a direct role in determining the processes and addressing challenges. Stakeholders act in the interest of learners and the institution. To meet this purpose, they must perform an environment and population needs assessment of their population of focus through activities such as preparing policies, which will make it easier to achieve desired outcomes. The alignment of stakeholders plays a critical role in ensuring that the proposed curriculum changes are applied and that the learning process is more effective. Assessing how open the organization is to changes is the first step in the stakeholder alignment process. When all of the stakeholders agree on the proposed changes, then the team involved can initiate the processes that will result in curriculum changes.
Administration
The role of the administration in analyzing the existing gaps is in overseeing the bureaucratic processes that will result in the achievement of the desired outcomes. The administration is also responsible for making financial decisions, which determine whether there are adequate funds to support the implementation of the proposed project.
Nurse Educators
Their main role is providing insights on the curriculum implementation process. Given their role in the implementation of the proposed changes, their knowledge and experience will be heavily relied on to ensure that the changes are smoothly applied, making the project more successful. According to McFarlan, O’Brien & Simmons (2019),they should also be involved so that they will buy into the idea before its implementation, and to reduce resistance to change.
Learners
The learners will provide insights into the effectiveness of the current teaching modalities, and the areas that newer technologies and teaching methods should focus on. Learners better positioned to propose the current technology that may work best with them, hence making the implementation process easier. Given the learners’ difference in age, and technology skills, the evaluators will assess outcomes such as knowledge retention and within a specified period to ensure that the project attains its objectives.
Information Technology Specialists
Their main role in the curriculum change is to give insights on the proposed technological changes including the softwares to purchase, other IT resources needed. They will provide support in implementation and maintenance. They will also take part in training stakeholders (students and educators) who will be using the proposed technology and continuous support during learning.
Staff Developers
They are supposed to ensure that nursing educators will achieve cohesion in the process of aligning the technology to the curriculum. They will also assist in the implementation process, by training educators that may not be adept to the proposed technology so that they can be able to utilize it in their teaching activities. Staff developers play a critical role in ensuring the smooth transitioning of the teaching process from a traditional one into a technology-based one.
Methods of Collaboration
Communication is the first step through which effective collaboration will be undertaken. The management will provide all stakeholders with evidence-based data that to convince them on the need for the changes so that they can become more open-minded towards taking part in the implementation of the desirable changes. The Interprofessional team also plays the critical role of communicating and collaborating with other stakeholders to attain the shared goal. Constant communication, both physically and via different platforms needs to be undertaken, ensuring that the team is on the same page and working towards the set goals at all times.
Weekly Meetings
Weekly meetings will ensure that the Interprofessional team is constantly in touch with each other, therefore making the goals more achievable. The meetings will hold the stakeholders responsible for their actions and correct any negative outcomes before they worsen. In-person and online meetings can be held, as long as the attendees are available and take part. During the weekly meetings, different stakeholders will present their ideas and strategies to collaborate the ideas with other stakeholders in an attempt to atain the overall goal. The Interprofessional team will provide insights into the proposals and look for ways of making the proposals more effective and applicable to the issues at hand. Weekly meetings will also be used to touch base and answer any questions that the stakeholders may have, resulting in the achievement of positive outcomes in the different endeavors undertaken. Open communication during such meetings will foster trust and the likelihood of the stakeholders being more motivated to work towards the achievement of the set goals.
Tech Tools/Emails
For stakeholders to communicate with each other, making the processes more successful in the process will use technological tools such as emails through which the management can hold them accountable. Through technologies such as Google Documents, it will be easier for the stakeholders to view the progress made and give their input on the changes that could result in better outcomes. The implementation team can also use tech tools to update, encourage, and motivate each other, resulting in continued contribution and commitment of involved stakeholders.
Current Technologies
Table 2
Curriculum Technology Need-Gap Analysis
Current Curriculum
Technology
Desired Curriculum Technology
Need-Gap
Action Steps to Meet the Need-Gap
Textbook and printed journal articles
Zoom for education virtual meetings, webinars, conferences, and messaging.
Zoom for education training for entire institution and learners.
1. Purchase Zoom for Education software
2. Information Technology Specialist training
3. Institution wide training
4. Learner training
5. Annual zoom for education trainings for institution
Textbook and printed journal articles
Laerdal Medical platform for evidence- based learning through virtual simulations, test banks, flipped classroom features, blended learning, and valuable study resources
Laerdal Medical platform products and training
Need for simulations for real life experiences in safe environment.
Does not foster interdisciplinary team collaboration
Does not promote critical thinking
1. Purchase Laerdal Medical platform
2. Information Technology Specialist training
3. Institution wide training
4. Learner training
5. Annual Laerdal Medical platform trainings for institution
Zoom vs. Laerdal Medical platform
Technology-based learning may be accomplished via the use of Zoom, which is a more effective e-learning environment. The faculty will use zoom to create an interactive learning environment that is comparable to the ones seen in real classrooms. With the Laerdal Medical Platform, stakeholders may access learning materials and aid the learning process in a more efficient, standardized, and more successful manner than they could before. Despite the fact that both platforms are distinct, they both offer identical services. Zoom has a number of benefits over other e-learning platforms, one of which is that it enhances learning while increasing the contacts between professors and students. In addition to its virtual and hybrid classroom capabilities, affordability, and emergency preparedness, Zoom offers several benefits that help it to become the most chosen online learning platform worldwide. In comparison , one of the benefits of utilizing Laerdal Medical platforms, is that it gives access to evidence-based learning resources, ensuring that learners are exposed to the most up-to-date, validated, and authorized content available on the market. Another benefit of Laerdal Medical platforms is that it provides a uniform curriculum, which assures that users of varying backgrounds can grasp the curriculum and get the desired results from it. Learning outcomes and competence and completion reports are provided at the conclusion of each lesson to ensure that the learners have fulfilled the learning objectives in a satisfactory manner. When utilizing Laerdal Medical platforms, it is possible to access virtual simulations as well, which makes the learning process more effective and ensures the accomplishment of the desired learning results more quickly. While both platforms strive to make virtual learning more accessible to students, their techniques to doing so are somewhat different. While Zoom is primarily concerned with the creation of a virtual class in which learners and instructors may engage directly, Laerdal Medical platforms are primarily concerned with the sharing of learning materials without direct contact between learners and instructors. Although both platforms have different goals, they both strive to guarantee that learners get the desired learning results.
A same flaw plagues both the Zoom and Laerdal Medical systems. They both need that the learners have access to learning materials such as technology gadgets and an internet connection in order for the learning process to take place. Additionally, both systems need the participation of stakeholders in training sessions to get acquainted with the platforms. In contrast to zoom, the Laerdal Medical platform requires ongoing online service and maintenance, which is a significant drawback for the company.
Technology Challenges
The current technology is inadequate due to lack of innovative and modernized technological changes. While traditional learning processes have been successful, they can become more successful when integrated with technology, which prompts the need for the suggested technological advancement. The saturation of the content in the training and learning processes means that more effective measures have to be used, hence making it easier to convert the theoretical aspects into practical outcomes. Technology also influences the learning environments with positive learner outcomes. Some of the challenges include the costs of purchasing textbooks, the size of the learning materials among other limitations associated with the used learning materials.
Cost of Textbooks
The learners may be unable to afford the textbooks used, hence reducing the access to the learning materials and other necessary materials to be used throughout the course.
Size of the Textbooks
The big size of the textbooks may make the learning process cumbersome, especially when the learners have to travel long distances to and from the classrooms.
Limitations of the Textbooks and Journals
Using textbooks and journals locks out learners who embrace other learning styles, decreasing the usefulness of the learning process.
Overcoming the Challenges
To overcome the highlighted challenges, the implementation team must effectively execute the implementation process throughout the course. For instance, the use of the Laerdal Medical Platforms provides positive learner outcomes through the improvement of the learning process and the enhancement of the curricula used in the institutions in question.
The Cost of the Textbooks
The high costs of education already burden learners and asking them to spend more in the purchase of expensive textbooks only makes the learning process more expensive. Embracing technology in the learning process makes learning more affordable, and provides ease access to learning materials.
The Size of the Textbook
Learners have to carry a large number of items to the classroom such as large textbooks, which makes the learning process less enjoyable. Through technology, learners can access their digital copy, which makes learning more convenient and impactful.
Limitations of the Textbooks and Journals
The current curriculum design uses physical versions of journals and articles. However, the introduction of new technological input will ensure that more effective, useful and applicable materials will be accessed, thereby making the learning process more successful. With technology, all learning styles will be recognized and addressed, resulting in increased success rates of the proposed technology.
Summary of Findings
As previously highlighted, the current state of nursing education experiences a shortage of innovative, modernized, and advanced input that will help in the achievement of the desirable outcomes. The current nursing education curriculum relies on the printed materials, resulting in a situation that disadvantages learners with different learning abilities. Printed materials could contribute to positive learning and practice outcomes, whereby; learners acquire the basic knowledge and obtain practical knowledge on the environments they will be working in future. Although traditional methods also promote nursing students to develop critical thinking skills they would be more effective when integrated with technology. Therefore, to improve the already positive outcomes of traditional learning and teaching methods, the faculty should consider integrating technology into current learning process.
By integrating technology in nursing education, educators can optimize the learning environment increasing the efficacy, performance, clinical reasoning, and knowledge retention of nursing students. The use of technology in nursing education using solutions such as the Laerdal Medical system will help the students to meet their learning needs through the provision of a variety of resources that will make the learning process more effective. Technologically based learning processes offer learners evidence-based learning activities, which in turn contribute to the development of critical thinking skills, empowerment, and improves competence of learners. Technology-based learning also considers all learning styles and avails learning materials and methods, which support the attainment of positive outcomes.
Collaboration with Stakeholders
The effectiveness of collaboration and cohesion among stakeholders will also determine the outcome success of the proposed project. Collaboration will ensure that the stakeholders play their roles effectively through collaboration, communication, and teamwork. For collaboration and cohesion among stakeholders, the implementation team should meet all stakeholders and help them understand their roles in the project, the purpose of the project and the period within which to achieve these outcomes.
Clear communication throughout the project needs will be critical for its success. The implementation tem can ensure frequent communication by organizing for regular meetings among stakeholders. When the stakeholders first meet, initially, the team should present the results of the stakeholder survey, demonstrating the current state of the learning and highlight the long-term targeted changes. This way, the team will collaboratively be able to identify the need gap before allowing stakeholders to share input on the strategies to employ to attain short term and long term positive learning outcomes. Each team member will contribute their perspectives on the current practices, the skills needed and the requirements that the current technology needs to possess for the achievement of the project goals. Each team member must provide their expert opinion on the pros and cons of the project and the expected challenges so that the team can develop effective solutions beforehand.
Administration
The administration’s main role is to execute the bureaucratic processes that will contribute to the achievement of the desirable outcomes. They are therefore involved in determining the expected budget and allocating resources to different departments that will be involved in the project. They will facilitate the training of staff training to enhance their capacity to train students on how to use the technology. They are also supposed to look for ways that will ensure the continued productivity of the team throughout the transition, reducing the likelihood of ineffectiveness of the project. Despite the expected high demand for resources in the initial stages, the administration must identify strategies to ensure that th
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