With clinical case studies in SimChart unfolding for all different student levels of education and across the various nursing areas, SimChart case studies can be a useful tool for virtual instruction or to make up clinical time. Here are a few examples of ways to accomplish your education goals during this healthcare crisis.
For the virtual classroom:
- Set up tools like reading assignments and presentations. Students should complete reading assignments as instructed on the content. PowerPoint® presentations are also helpful tools for student review.
- Select a SimChart case study appropriate to your topic of instruction and assign it to be completed. Follow up with a discussion board for student engagement. You could pose “what if” questions to encourage critical thinking and clinical judgment. Take this opportunity to address the Clinical Judgment Measurement Model (CJMM), especially layer 3, when developing your “what if” questions.
Sample Lesson Plan
Classroom Topic: Adult Medical-Surgical-Cardiovascular (Perfusion)-Peripheral Vascular Disease
- Assigned reading in your med-surg textbook
- Complete chapter quiz in Evolve Student Resources
- Assign the following SimChart case study
- After completion of the case study, post discussion topics related to the disease, nursing care, and the patient. Think of the CJMM layer 3 for your topics:
- What would be pertinent cues to notice for this patient (a patient with DVT and PE)?
- What cues would be your priority?
- What do you think is going on? Complete an SBAR.
- What are your priority nursing interventions?
- How would you know your interventions worked?
- These debriefing questions can also occur in a synchronous session, facilitating live interaction between instructor and students.
Clinical Assignment Using SimChart Case Studies
- Depending on the clinical assignment objectives, select the SimChart case studies you deem appropriate. Note that each case study has an estimated time for completion, which will assist you with the number of cases to assign to cover the clinical time needed.
- Following completion of the case studies, students can complete the clinical paperwork typically required in the course.
- Follow up with a “Clinical Post-Conference” either in lab or class, or virtually. The above questions related to the CJMM would be ideal to drive your conference discussion.
For Senior Students: Leadership and Prioritization
- Open several case studies and have students “assign” patients to their nursing team (other students). Students should review key information when determining patient assignment (complexity of care, infectious diseases, immunocompromised patient, etc.).
- Students could complete the case studies and give an end-of-shift report to the next nurse who might care for this “patient.”
- Students assigned multiple patients (case studies) should review each chart briefly to determine which patient they would see first.
- Make sure to debrief with your students — debriefing can occur synchronously or asynchronously.
SimChart My Clinical Blank EHR
The blank EHR offers endless opportunities to provide students with patient care activities. Some examples include:
- Using any case study (from textbooks, student and instructor resources, etc.), have students complete the Pre-Clinical Manager section of the My Clinical. They can use Clinical Key and Clinical Pharmacology to create study libraries within the Pre-Clinical Manager for pharmacology related to systems, diseases, concepts, etc.
- Clinical Key provides students with information related to patient education. Students could use that information and input a teaching plan into the My Clinical. Another option is creating a care plan for the case study patient.
- Make sure to debrief with your students — debriefing can occur synchronously or asynchronously.
For resources and advice on teaching remotely, click here.
