High-fidelity simulation and the development of clinical judgment: students' experiences.

Nursing education programs across the country are making major capital investments in alternative learning strategies, such as human patient simulators; yet, little research exists to affirm this new innovation. At the same time, nursing programs must become even more effective in the development of students' clinical judgment to better prepare graduates to take on increasingly complex care management. This qualitative study examined the experiences of students in one nursing program's first term of using high-fidelity simulation as part of its regular curriculum. On the basis of these experiences, it seems that high-fidelity simulation has potential to support and affect the development of clinical judgment in nursing students and to serve as a value-added adjunct to their clinical practica.