title: Using standardized patients to strengthen nurse practitioner competency in the clinical setting.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper serves as the outline for a simulation that nurse educators can use to better prepare graduate students for the clinical setting and ensure the student's essential competencies prior to clinical practicum.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Educators often struggle with whether nurse practitioner students are sufficiently prepared for their clinical practicum once they have successfully completed the didactic component of their coursework.
  
  
  METHODS
  This paper addresses the methods by which one institution uses standardized patients in a simulation laboratory to better prepare the graduate students for their first clinical practicum. The implications of using clinical simulation to enhance both student and faculty learning are addressed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Simulation done prior to a student's clinical practicum prepares the student for patient cases in the clinical setting.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinical simulation can enhance the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that nurse practitioner students need in the clinical setting.
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. auncheel@gmail.com
authors.forename: Tonya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rutherford-Hemming
authors.forename: Judith A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Jennrich
mesh_terms: D057179:Advanced Practice Nursing / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003162:Competency-Based Education / Q000379:methods*; D004511:Education, Nursing, Graduate / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D016544:Patient Simulation