University Archives

Simulation-based training, is an integral component of nursing education (Campbell & Daley, 2018). Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) students are provided the vital information about the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) to provide meaningful care to their patients and meet related competencies in their program. For this project we implemented an interprofessional health equity simulation to evaluate FNP students’ knowledge and competency related to the impacts of the SDoH on health outcomes. During the simulation FNP students were exposed to the realities faced by individuals with income insecurities, issues with access to healthcare, interactions with          community agencies/healthcare systems and other inequities impacting health and outcomes.

A pre/post survey, interventional design was used.  As part of the FNP student coursework, students were required to come to campus to be active participants in the health equity simulation. Students received  pre-simulation information, completed a pre-survey, and then had a pre-brief before the simulation began. Each student randomly selected a badge that included their assigned role in a family unit for the simulation. The simulation took one hour to complete. After the simulation, students completed a post-survey and participated in a faculty-led, structured, reflection and debrief session that included a gallery walk. Data analysis is in progress and will be reported for both quantitative and qualitative data.

Realistic and validated simulation opportunities will better prepare FNP students to provide equitable care for actual patients in clinical settings and is supported by NONPF and AACN for educating FNPs. Providing FNP students with opportunities to understand how the SDoH effect  patients’ access to healthcare and ultimately health outcomes, is in congruence with the mission of UDM and the MSON to provide quality, culturally sensitive, equitable health care to diverse populations within an urban context.