Nurse Educator Case Study

The nurse educator plays a pivotal role in the education and stability of the nursing corps. Their combination of clinical expertise and desire to be educators is paramount in strengthening the professional nursing workforce. A nurse educator is a registered nurse with advanced education that teaches and prepares students pursuing the field of nursing for entry into the practice. They also teach in various healthcare settings providing continuing education to licensed nursing staff.

There are many professional titles nurse educators serve in. From clinical faculty in a hospital setting to the dean of a college of nursing, nurse educators prepare and mentor the current and future generation of nurses. In academic settings, nurse educators

Specifically, in the academic settings, nurse educators experienced in the use of medical simulation can enhance “student’s nursing education with interactive practice sessions (Aebersold & Tschannen, 2013).” As a teaching methodology, “a clinical simulation experience is an active event for students to be immersed in realistic clinical environments or situations. Students must incorporate critical thinking and decision-making skills using the nursing process. (Virginia State Simulation Alliance, 2013).” To understand the importance of skilled clinical nurse educator’s role, a case study will be presented using a simulation lab experience conducted with a student nurse. This simplified simulation case study will identify and define the steps of the nursing process and the student’s progression through them. Also, it will identify the value of a nurse educator and the responsibilities undertaken in strengthening the competencies of the student involved.

Nursing Process Simulation Scenario

The simulation lab nurse educator pre-briefs the nursing student concerning verbalizing use of the nursing process model for a post-surgical appendectomy patient. Using the MetiMan human patient simulator, the nursing student will interact with the patient and verbalize in real time steps in the nursing process.

The student states to the nurse educator, “Outcomes for this patient will be pain control as evidenced by report of pain relief, blood pressure decrease, and comfort and positioning techniques that will alleviate pain.”

Planning

In the planning phase, a plan of care is developed that will prescribe strategies and interventions to attain expected outcomes. The student states, “In this step, reassessment and reduction of pain from 7/10 to 3/10 or lower within 30 minutes after medication administration, repositioning of the patient, comfort measures provided, and a decrease in blood pressure will be seen.”

Implementation

Next, implementation of the interventions must be completed that were identified in the plan. After checking the orders for pain medication, the student provides the patient with prescribed analgesics. Also, she states, “I will assess pain level every 2 hours or as reported by the patient.” She repositions the patient in a semi-fowlers position by elevating the head of the bed 45 degrees, provides ice chips, and reassesses vital signs.