Nursing Practice Scenarios

Nursing practice spans all Essentials domains and requires the simultaneous integration of multiple competencies and sub-competencies. As a result, clustering competencies and sub-competencies is critical for designing meaningful experiential learning activities and for supporting both formative and summative assessment. Progression indicators—also referred to as behavioral performance indicators—describe observable learner behaviors that demonstrate progression from developing to developed performance for each sub-competency. These simulations have been mapped to the above with the intent to model how faculty can consider clusters in their scenarios. 

It will be helpful to review the entry- and advanced-level scenarios, supporting materials and the videos providing more detail to assist in their use. All resources were developed by the Scenario Sub-Group of AACN's Assessment Expert Working Group to provide faculty with nursing practice scenarios templates for creating consistent simulation experiences that develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for safe and quality nursing care.

Additional resources include:

  • Core tenets for the use of simulation
  • Example of scaffolded competency integration across programs
  • Video vignettes for faculty development: pre-brief, coaching, and debriefing. 

Implementation Guides

Scenario Overview PDF Scaffolded Competencies PDF Guide

Entry-Level Nursing Practice Scenarios: An Overview

Advanced-Level Nursing Practice Scenarios: An Overview


Scenarios

Entry-Level

Care of a
Decompensating
Patient with Post-Operative Pain

View

Entry-Level

Care of a Patient with COPD Exacerbation

View

Advanced-Level

Clinical Assessment and Management of Depression via Telehealth Visit

View

Advanced-Level

Telehealth Follow-Up for Seasonal Allergies in a Young Adult

View

From Prebrief to Debrief: Building Conversation Competence in Simulation

Effective simulation facilitation requires a growth mindset—the understanding that all educators, regardless of experience level, are continually learning and developing new skills. These three sets of paired simulation videos are intended to spark meaningful dialogue about best practices in simulation-based education. They are not a complete training solution, but rather a supplement to ongoing faculty development. All simulation education should be grounded in the INACSL Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice, which offer evidence-based guidelines for designing, pre-briefing, facilitating, debriefing plus more in simulation experiences.

Use these videos and discussion points to cultivate a reflective, inclusive faculty development experience. All educators—novice or experienced—benefit from ongoing feedback and support as they refine their simulation facilitation skills. Our goal is to foster curiosity, humility, and excellence in simulation-based education. Each video set includes a script and teaching points document. Use these as foundational tools, but feel free to adapt the dialogue suggestions to fit your own facilitation style and to highlight key concepts in your own voice. The Teaching Points PDFs will outline specific discussion points both for the “Successful” and “Opportunity” videos. 

Download the Prebriefing Teaching Points Download the Coaching Teaching Points Download the Debriefing Teaching Points

 

Scenario Subgroup Group Charge: To identify and/or develop exemplars of experiential learning opportunities to include clusters of related competencies and sub competencies for formative and summative assessment of developing and developed competency achievement.

  • Carol Fowler-Durham

    Carol Fowler-Durham, EdD
    Lead
    The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    Professor and Director, Education-Innovation-Simulation Learning Environment

  • Jennifer Alderman

    Jennifer Alderman, PhD
    The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    Associate Professor

  • Mindi Anderson

    Mindi Anderson, PhD
    The University of Central Florida
    Associate Dean, Simulation and Immersive Learning, Director, Healthcare Simulation Program, Professor

  • Elizabeth Wells-Beede

    Elizabeth Wells-Beede, PhD
    The University of North Texas
    Senior Associate Dean, Professor

  • Rebecca Ellis

    Leah Burt, PhD
    University of Illinois Chicago
    Director, Simulation Assessment and Research, Director, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Program, Clinical Assistant Professor

  • Rebecca Ellis

    Rebecca Ellis, PhD
    Indiana University
    Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

  • Marie Gilbert

    Marie Gilbert, DNP
    California State University, Fresno
    Director, Central California Center for Excellence in Nursing

  • Ashley A. Kellish

    Suzie Kardong-Edgren, DNP
    MGH Institute of Health Professions
    Associate Professor

  • Ashley A. Kellish

    Ashley A. Kellish, DNP
    The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    Associate Professor

  • Patricia Kyriakidis

    Patricia Kyriakidis, PhD
    NovEx Novice to Expert Learning, LLC
    CEO and Co-Founder

  • Cynthia Price

    Cynthia Price, MSMS
    AdventHealth
    Senior Simulation Learning Strategist