The Use of High Fidelity Simulation in a Graduate Health Assessment Course

Simulation in graduate nurse education has been limited to skill acquisition, rather than clinical decision making.  We report on the integration of high fidelity simulation technology into a graduate level health assessment course.  The use of simulation in health assessment assesses the ability of the learner to formulate a differential diagnosis based on data obtained from a review of available medical record history taking and physical examination.  We report preliminary findings on the use of a combination of simulation technologies, which includes a standardized patient and the Harvey Model (life size prototype manikin equipped with normal and abnormal heart and lung sound).