Teaching nursing skills at a distance using a remotely controlled human patient simulator

Abstract

We investigated the feasibility of using a nurse educator to control a human patient simulator and provide skills training for student nurses while located remotely from the students. Eight student nurses and a patient simulator were stationed at a site 8 km from the School of Nursing. The manikin was controlled over a private virtual local area network. Using videoconferencing at 400kbit/s, students were taught how to obtain peripheral and apical pulses on the manikin while exposed to rhythm disturbances initiated and controlled by the instructor. Students agreed that the simulation made understanding irregular rhythms easier and increased their interest in the course. On-site and remotely located nursing instructors agreed in their assessments of student performance. We conclude that a remotely located nurse educator can successfully instruct and control a manikin-based skills session in a manner that is acceptable to the nursing students.