Nov 22, 2019, 14:31 PM

<1.5-min. read> Students need a strong foundation in performing health assessments before they ever step foot in a clinical setting. Building that base starts in the classroom. Simulated health assessment tools are a convenient and easy-to-use resource.

1. BENEFITS BY THE BUNCH

• Convenience. Sim tools that work via an Internet connection allow students to practice in class, at home, on the bus, etc., saving time and energy.
• Prewritten lesson plans. A tool that includes these resources allows you to easily integrate simulations into your curricula in a variety of ways, like case studies.
• Strengthened health-assessment skills. Students who practice often become confident and are better prepared.

2. LOADS OF LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

• Interactive learning, virtual demonstrations, virtual practice opportunities, and virtual challenges (head-to-toe assessments). The diversity of options appeal to students’ different learning preferences.
• Information on the basic body systems. Give students fundamental knowledge to build on in understanding how the systems interact.
• Patient scenarios. Create abnormalities for students to uncover as they care for virtual patients to deliver more realistic experiences. Also, involve more than one body system in scenarios. After all, few patients have only 1 illness at a time.

3. SUREFIRE CONSISTENCY COMPARED TO CLINICAL

• Overcome the unpredictable nature of clinical. Ensure every student receives uniform learning. 
• Build clinical judgment. Help students weave together all aspects of the experience: patient histories, communication with patients, and the review of provider orders. Ensure they connect patients’ problems with orders and decide what to do next.
• Provide feedback. Simulation offers the advantage of uniform opportunities to help students improve. 

4. CONFIDENCE OF DEEPER LEARNING

• For remediation. If a student shows a lack of knowledge in a particular skill during clinical, send her back to remediate on that skill using your sim’s health assessment tool. 
• To prove mastery. Students can use the tool to demonstrate mastery in that skill so they can return to clinical. 

5. AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES 

Do you scoff at the realism of virtual simulations? Set your skepticism aside. Sims can be as powerful as real-life clinical, creating visceral reactions in students.

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LEARN MORE ABOUT ATI'S NEW HEALTH ASSESSMENT SOLUTION: