Implications of the COVID-19 pandemic: Virtual nursing education for delirium care

Abstract

Background: Technology is increasingly used in nursing education, particularly during the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic. COVID-19 also brought new challenges to patient care and limited access to in-person clinical experiences for nursing students. Pivoting to virtual simulation (VS) for clinical was necessary during the height of the pandemic. With students' return to clinical settings, VS experiences continue to be needed, due to quarantine of clinical settings and/or shortage of available clinical sites. VS clinical experiences have been successfully utilized over the past decade; however, the literature lacks resources on the use of VS for delirium care of patients.

Method: In this article, the authors describe the creation and provision of a VS clinical day using interactive computer-based technology to educate nursing students to prevent, recognize, and manage delirium. The VS clinical was in conjunction with a Behavioral Health course.

Results: Evaluation of students demonstrated attainment of objectives. Students reported satisfaction with the VS experience.

Conclusion: Technology in nursing education and use of VS clinical provide effective strategies for clinical learning when in-person clinical experiences are unavailable, either due to access limitations or lack of patients with specific health needs.

Keywords: COVID-19; Clinical experience; Delirium; Nursing education; Technology; Virtual simulation.