Simulated learning – a technique for training nurses that replicates practical scenarios in a controlled environment – is an issue which combines two current political debates: the future of the NHS workforce and the role of technology in education.
Placements are seen as a solution to training more nurses, reducing the workloads of trained nurses and addressing the recruitment crisis currently facing the NHS.
But simulation raises questions about the role of technology in replacing hands-on experience within a clinical setting.
It is clear from our research that the notion of simulation “replacing” clinical placements is too simplistic. Indeed, innovations in the use of simulation, particularly at modern universities, promise significant benefits. Yet these benefits can only be realised through immediate investment in traditional clinical placements.
