Key themes: Education (training, assessment, curriculum), Research and development

Academics:

• Mrs. Aby Mitchell, Senior Lecturer Adult Nursing Education and Faculty Lead for Simulation, King’s College London, aby.mitchell@kcl.ac.uk
• Mr. Behnam Jafari Salim, Digital Learning Specialist, King’s College London

Aims & Objectives

In response to global priorities for sustainable workforce expansion and the increasing demand for clinical placement capacity, the project aimed to develop and evaluate a digitally enhanced virtual placement model that contributes meaningfully to nurse education. The primary goal was to create an accessible and scalable placement experience that supports learner growth while aligning with new regulatory permissions for simulation-based practice learning (NMC, 2023). Key objectives included increasing placement availability through innovative digital solutions, enhancing student confidence and competence via realistic virtual interactions, and ensuring that learning experiences remained inclusive, safe, and pedagogically robust. To achieve this, the project focused on integrating simulation technologies that provide exposure to a diverse range of virtual patients, support clinical decision-making, and mirror the expectations of a technologically evolving healthcare system (Hill & Mitchell, 2024; Booth et al., 2021). Specific areas targeted within this development included adopting human-centred digital strategies, embedding structured supervision and data-informed support mechanism.

Details

This project used an iterative, multi-step consensus-building approach to design a virtual placement for pre-registration nursing students. The development process included the creation of a bespoke electronic health record (EHR) system, mapping of the student learning journey, and construction of a data-monitoring architecture to track engagement, progression, and performance. A range of interactive modalities were integrated—such as AI-supported activities, 360° simulations, and live simulated patients—within a hypothetical general practice setting that enabled students to engage with a multidisciplinary team and practice assessors. Grounded in simulation pedagogy, the placement incorporated elements of gamification to maximise realism, engagement, and learner motivation. The design followed four structured stages: (1) a needs assessment and gap analysis, (2) definition and scope of the placement, (3) co-design workshops with students, simulated patients, clinical educators, and industry partners, and (4) development of embedded data metrics to evaluate learning and user experience.

Impacts

Unlike traditional virtual placements that focus mainly on simulated clinical scenarios, this model offered students a broader, more dynamic experience through diverse patient interactions, multidisciplinary collaboration and authentic digital documentation. By integrating AI, simulated patients, and inter-professional activities within a general practice setting, the placement enabled students not only to develop core community nursing proficiencies, but also to build technological literacy required of the modern workforce. Evaluation outcomes demonstrated that students gained strengthened knowledge of primary care and clearer insight into the roles within a multidisciplinary team. They reported improved time management, greater autonomy in patient management, and increased confidence in making referrals, documenting care, and carrying out holistic assessments. Beyond clinical and technical learning, the placement enhanced non-technical skills, provided real-time feedback and widened students’ understanding of digital healthcare practices, collectively supporting their preparedness for contemporary clinical practice.

Next Steps

The successful implementation of this virtual placement highlights the need to further integrate and scale digital practice learning across nursing curricula. Next steps include expanding the model to additional fields of practice and year groups, refining activities through continued student and stakeholder co-design, and enhancing analytics to support personalised learning and assessment. Building partnerships with clinical providers and technology industries will strengthen authenticity and sustainability, while formal evaluation against regulatory standards will support wider adoption. Ultimately, embedding virtual placements as a complementary component of practice learning will help future-proof the nursing workforce by supporting digital competence, increasing placement capacity, and aligning education with the NHS’s long-term workforce and digital transformation priorities.