Partnering for health

^{M Health Fairview Chief Nursing Officer Maria Raines and Director of Simulation Cynthia Bradley.}

In an era where advancements in health care are rapidly evolving, the need for well-prepared and adaptable nurses is paramount. M Health Fairview launched a groundbreaking Nurse Residency Pilot Program at M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center in late 2023 to revolutionize the way new nurses are trained. One of the group’s first sessions was held at the School of Nursing’s Bentson Healthy Communities Innovation Center to experience how immersive virtual reality (VR) technology benefits new nurses.

In addition to hands-on clinical experience with patients and guidance from senior nursing staff, nearly 30 members of M Health Fairview’s Nurse Residency Pilot Program used Oculus VR headsets to complete simulations of patients with simple to complex health issues that are regularly treated in acute care settings. They were given the autonomy to assess, diagnose, and treat simulated patients on their own — experiences they may not have had yet in a care setting.

“There’s a lot happening in health care right now where nurses are in situations they’ve not been in before,” says Assistant Professor Cynthia Bradley, PhD, RN, CNE, CHSE, director of simulation at the School of Nursing. “Our goal is to help nurses feel prepared and confident to practice in health care today.”

Bradley leads the Big 10 Practice-Ready Nursing Initiative, which is funded by a grant from the American Nurses Foundation as part of its Reimagining Nursing Initiative. School of Nursing BSN seniors were introduced to the VR models this fall. Bradley saw the potential for the simulations to benefit new nurses as well and shared the idea with M Health Fairview through the school’s academic-practice partnership, or collaboratory, with the health system.

The VR modules transported the new nurses into realistic health care settings where they practice multi-tasking in high-stress situations, accessing patient records, strengthen prioritization and time management skills, and receive immediate feedback. There is hope that the pilot program and technology will improve nurse retention at M Health Fairview.

“What we’ve heard early on in this pilot was, ‘I was the nurse. I was in charge. I got to make decisions and I felt safe to make those decisions,’ which then translates into confidence,” said Katie Pitzl, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, assistant manager of clinical education and learning at M Health Fairview. “I just have high hopes for where this can go for our profession.”

Pitzl hopes it will also support nurses to have more realistic expectations of clinical practice to ultimately improve nurse retention across their hospitals.

“It can feel really scary as a new graduate nurse to take care of a patient that’s so sick, so early in your career. So if you can practice making mistakes and you can learn from your mistakes, you can get the support and encouragement you need to carry that forward into your practice.”

Partnering for health is a recurring feature that highlights a school partnership working to advance health care to improve the health and wellbeing of all.