Simulated Placements as Partial Replacement of Clinical Training Time: A Delphi Consensus Study

Background There is growing interest in utilizing structured extended periods of simulation as partial replacement for clinical placement (PRCP) due to workforce demands and COVID-19 impact. This project aimed to identify the extent to which stakeholders felt that simulated placements could reduce overall clinical placement time requirement for health care students. Method Participants included a range of nurses and Allied Health Professionals including managers, clinicians and lecturers. A three-round Delphi study was conducted with a 75% consensus agreement target. Results Overall, 71 participants engaged with at least one round of the study and identified benefits of PRCP: Safety, learning from mistakes, improved preparation, and reduced placement training burden. Challenges included poor realism, logistics, time, and access to facilities. Conclusions The consensus opinion indicated that between 11% and 30% of clinical training time could be replaced with simulated placement. Ongoing work will need to identify profession-specific consensus opinion and guidance on the use of simulation as PRCP. Cite this article: Bridge, P., et al. (Year, Month). Simulated placements as partial replacement of clinical training time: a Delphi consensus study. Clinical Simulation in Nursing, vol (no.), eXXX-eXXX. doi: 10.1016/j.ecsn.20XX.