Gerontology

Develop Clinical
Confidence and
Competence

DIGITAL COURSE CONTENT • ADAPTIVE LEARNING • VIRTUAL SIMULATIONS • SIMULATION IN TEAMS • DOCUMENTATION • FEEDBACK AND REMEDIATION

Student User’s Guide

 Contents

n  Introduction to vSim for Nursing 4

System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
User Guide Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

n  Getting Started 5
Product Registration and Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
New User Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Returning User Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Accessing vSim for Nursing During Your Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Initial Choices About Class Enrollment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

n  Navigating vSim for Nursing 7

My Classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
vSim Student Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
My Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
vSim Tutorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
vSim Scenarios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
SmartSense Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Suggested Readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Pre-Simulation Quiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
vSim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Post-Simulation Quiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Documentation Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Guided Reflection Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

n  Navigating the vSim Clinical Scenario 13

Simulation Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Search Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Actions & Communication Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Safety Measures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Interventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Drugs & IV Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Tests & Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

2
 Electronic Health Record . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Patient Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Patient Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Clinical Observations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Medication Administration Record (MAR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Radiology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Orders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Assessment Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Ending a Simulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Feedback Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

n  Enrolling in Your Instructor’s Class 23

n  Reviewing My Results 24
View Best Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
View All Results for a Scenario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Explanation of Scoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

n  Product and Technical Support 26

3
 STUDENT USER’S GUIDE

n  Introduction to vSim for Nursing

Thank you for purchasing vSim for Nursing | Gerontology. This innovative learning resource, jointly developed
by Laerdal Medical and Wolters Kluwer, delivers ways to enhance nursing education to create safer practice
environments. We thank you for inviting us into your classroom or simulation facility, and we welcome your
feedback.

Develop clinical decision-making skills, competence, and confidence with vSim for Nursing. Designed to simulate
real nursing scenarios, vSim for Nursing allows you to interact with patients in a safe, realistic environment that is
available anytime, anywhere.

Online interactive virtual simulations with integrated curriculum resources provide a full simulation learning
experience. You have access to suggested reading material from trusted Wolters Kluwer sources, pre-simulation and
post-simulation quizzes, documentation assignments that can be used in Lippincott DocuCare, and guided reflection
questions to gauge your understanding and support improved competence through remediation. The virtual
simulation is self-directed, with a variety of nursing actions included for an individualized learning experience.
Actions during the simulation are recorded, resulting in a personalized feedback log to help you identify areas of
strengths or needed improvement.

Throughout the simulation scenario, you have access to SmartSense links for additional learning opportunities
through evidence-based, point-of-care content such as Lippincott Advisor and Lippincott Procedures. Remediation
resources are also provided for the primary course textbook. For vSim for Nursing: Gerontology, the textbook is
Eliopoulos, C.: Gerontological Nursing.

If your instructor creates a class in vSim for Nursing, you can enroll in that class to give your instructor access to
your results and progress over time.

With vSim for Nursing, discover a unique simulation experience designed to improve your competence, confidence,
and success in patient-centered care.

System Requirements
vSim for Nursing is an online product. To use this product, you must have access to the Internet and an up-to-date
browser. Go to thepoint.lww.com/systemrequirements for the current system requirements for this product.

The virtual simulations are fairly large downloads (first patient 75 MB, subsequent patients approximately 50 MB).
Depending on the speed of your Internet connection, the first patient could take up to three minutes to download
and subsequent ones up to two minutes.

4 All materials copyright © Wolters Kluwer. All rights reserved.

STUDENT USER’S GUIDE

User Guide Objectives

This User Guide will help you:

n  Get started with vSim for Nursing

n  Understand the components and features of this product
n Use vSim for Nursing to view your results and track your progress

n  Getting Started

The first steps to get started using vSim for Nursing include registering on thePoint, accessing the product content,
and making initial decisions about whether you should enroll in a class.

You’ll need two codes to get started in a class.

1. thePoint Access Code—printed on a card inside the vSim for Nursing case you purchased, or included
with your electronic course materials. You need this code to set up your login ID and password at
thePoint.
2. Class Code—if your instructor creates a class, you will receive this code from your instructor. You need
this code to get into the class that has been set up exclusively for your instructor in vSim for Nursing.

Product Registration and Access

To access vSim for Nursing, first redeem your Access Code at http://thepoint.lww.com.

New User Registration

1. If you haven’t registered at thePoint before, go to http://thepoint.lww.com/activate and enter your
Access Code where indicated. Then select Submit Code.

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 STUDENT USER’S GUIDE

2. Enter your email address, select whether you have an existing password or need to create one, and click
NEXT.
3. On the registration form, fill out all required fields, click on the checkbox if you agree to the terms and
conditions, and click Submit. This takes you to your My Content page, where vSim for Nursing will
appear.
4. On the My Content page, locate your vSim for Nursing product and click on links to find a description of
the product (About This Product) or to get access to the content (vSim for Nursing).

Returning User Registration

1. If you have already registered at thePoint, go to http://thepoint.lww.com, click on Return User, and log
in to access the My Content page. (If you are not sure whether you have an account, use the Find Your
Password or Help links or follow all steps above as a New User.)
2. Click on Add a New Title to My Content in the box in the upper right corner beneath the green banner.
3. Enter your Access Code where indicated, and complete the activation steps. You will end in your My
Content page, where vSim for Nursing will appear.
4. On the My Content page, locate your vSim for Nursing product and click on links to find a description of
the product (About This Product) or to get access to the content (vSim for Nursing).

Accessing vSim for Nursing During Your Course

You will only use the Access Code once per product for the initial registration. From that point on, you will use your
login information for thePoint to access vSim for Nursing. Whenever you log in to thePoint, you will find vSim for
Nursing in the My Content page.

(The vSim title shown here and in some of the other screenshots in this guide are just examples and may or may
not match yours.)

TIP: If you forget your password, click Forgot Your Password? and enter your email address. Your
password will be emailed to you. To change your password, log in to thePoint and click Profile near the
top right of the page.

Initial Choices About Class Enrollment

The first time you access vSim for Nursing after you register, you will see a welcome screen with an option to enroll
in a class. You will need to enroll in a class in order for your instructor to see your results.

6 All materials copyright © Wolters Kluwer. All rights reserved.

STUDENT USER’S GUIDE FUNDAMENTALS
STUDENT USER’S GUIDE

If
If you are ready
you are ready to
to enroll
enroll in
in aa class:
class:

1. Enter the
1.  Enter the Class
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Code provided by your
your instructor.
instructor.
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ou will receiveconfirmation
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successful. Click
ClickContinue togo
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and details
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“Enrolling in
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Class.”

TIP:
TIP:If you havehave
If you purchased
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Lippincott which
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have to enroll in one class. The class will allow your instructor to view your results in both Adaptive
powered
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Nursing .
vSim for Nursing.

n Navigating vSim for Nursing

n  Navigating vSim for Nursing
The vSim for Nursing main page presents a quick view of all content. Let’s take a look at the materials available
The vSim
from this for Nursing
page. main page
Remember thatpresents
you musta quick viewinto
be logged of allthePoint
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these at the materials available
materials.
from this page. Remember that you must be logged into thePoint to access these materials.

All materials copyright © Wolters Kluwer. All rights reserved. 7

All materials copyright © Wolters Kluwer. All rights reserved. 7
 STUDENT USER’S GUIDE

TIP: When navigating through materials from the vSim for Nursing main screen, use the breadcrumb
trail in the top left corner of your screen to navigate back to a previous screen.

My Classes
A link to My Classes appears in the top right corner of the vSim for Nursing main page. This link will appear on
every screen as you navigate throughout vSim for Nursing. The My Classes page provides information about the
class(es) in which you are enrolled and a link to My Results (discussed below).

vSim Student Resources

At the top of the left-hand side of the main page, Student Resources give you access to your individual results and
help you learn how to use vSim for Nursing.

My Results

You can always visit My Results to view your work in vSim for Nursing. When you open My Results, you can view
your best results for all scenarios, a full history of results for each scenario, and detailed feedback logs and quiz
results. See “Reviewing My Results” for details. These results are the same results your instructor will view if you
are enrolled in a class.

vSim Tutorial

Because it is important to be familiar with the user interface in order to be successful in virtual simulations, a vSim
Tutorial provides a tour of the software and actions available in the menus. This resource can be used along with
this User Guide and may be especially helpful if you are a visual or auditory learner.

vSim Scenarios
A scenario is an interactive training workflow for nursing students. vSim for Nursing | Gerontology includes 12
interactive learning scenarios. These scenarios correspond to the National League for Nursing (NLN) Advancing
Care Excellence for Seniors (ACES) Unfolding Cases Scenario Set, available on SimStore from National League for
Nursing and Laerdal Medical for use in manikin-based simulations. The 12 scenarios span four (4) cases with three
(3) scenarios per case. These cases allow students to use the ACES Essential Knowledge Domains and Nursing
Actions to think about the care and planning of their nursing interventions.

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STUDENT USER’S GUIDE

The titles and patient images are shown on the vSim main page. The student simply clicks on a scenario title to
launch the workflow for that scenario.

Each scenario includes a curriculum of pre- and post-simulation activities to prepare you for the simulation, to
evaluate your patient care, and to provide feedback. The learning path or workflow for each scenario is presented
in the order that is illustrated below. When you select a patient scenario, the scenario workflow will open to the
Suggested Readings tab. Click through each chevron tab to navigate to each activity.

Suggested Reading, Pre-Simulation Quiz, vSim, Post-Simulation Quiz, Documentation Assignments, Guided Reflection Questions

vSim for Nursing offers you the flexibility to complete the first three activities in a different order, if desired. After
you have completed the vSim for one patient scenario once, the post-simulation activities (tabs 4, 5, and 6) are
unlocked and available for completion in any order. Additionally, activities can be performed multiple times to
reinforce concepts in a “learn by doing” environment. The goal is improved performance on the vSim over time
through practice and remediation.

Let’s review each component in the workflow.

SmartSense Links

SmartSense links throughout the activities provide references and direct links to trusted Wolters Kluwer resources
for further learning and remediation. For drug monographs, diagnostic test information, and basic nursing
procedures, green SmartSense icons link to relevant topics in Lippincott Advisor and Lippincott Procedures—two
current, evidence-based, point-of-care clinical resources used by practicing nurses. Wherever the icon appears, click
on it to open the recommended reading. References to core course information are drawn from a specific
Wolters Kluwer textbook. In vSim for Nursing, specific page references are provided. In Lippincott CoursePoint+,
SmartSense digital textbook icons link directly to the digital textbook.

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 STUDENT USER’S GUIDE

Suggested Readings

Suggested Readings are recommended to prepare you for a successful simulation experience. When you select
a patient scenario, the scenario workflow will open to the Suggested Readings tab, which displays a patient
introduction and a listing of suggested textbook pages and other resources to read prior to starting the simulation.
Click on the green SmartSense icon on the Suggested Readings screen to link to topics in Lippincott Advisor and
Lippincott Procedures that are relevant to the selected patient scenario.

Pre-Simulation Quiz

The Pre-Simulation Quiz presents a series of questions prior to the simulation to assess your readiness to complete
the patient scenario. Click the Quiz Me button to begin. After answering each question, click Show Answer to
see immediate feedback. References to the textbook, or SmartSense links to Lippincott Advisor and Lippincott
Procedures, are provided to help improve patient care performance during the simulation.

You may take the Pre-Simulation Quiz as many times as you wish, and the questions will remain the same each
time. The purpose of the Pre-Simulation Quiz is to help you identify areas where you need remediation before
working in the vSim; you will not receive a score.

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STUDENT USER’S GUIDE

vSim

The vSim is the virtual clinical simulation which, when launched, allows you to enter the patient’s room and
provide care to the patient by selecting actions in categories such as patient safety, communication, assessments,
interventions, and medication administration. Actions, communications, and results are recorded. Upon completion
of a scenario, you’ll receive personalized feedback on the actions you completed. Additionally, the feedback log
reviews key content and provides recommendations on areas that need improvement. Since feedback is based
upon individual performance, the feedback log is unique for each student and each time you complete a scenario.
This design allows you to improve your results and competency with each subsequent simulated patient visit. The
feedback log includes references and SmartSense links to related topics for further review and remediation. This
component is covered in greater detail in the section on “Navigating the vSim Clinical Scenario.”

Post-Simulation Quiz

The Post-Simulation Quiz is the next step after the virtual simulation is completed. After reviewing the feedback
log, you can opt to (a) repeat the simulation, (b) do additional readings, or (c) continue on to the quiz, which
contains questions that test knowledge of concepts related to the completed scenario. Click Quiz Me to begin, and
then click the arrows above the questions to progress through the quiz. At the end of the quiz, click Submit and
you’ll receive an answer key showing the answer you selected and the correct answer, rationale, and reference for
each question. You can read more in the textbook pages referenced or click on SmartSense icons to read additional
information from Lippincott Advisor or Lippincott Procedures.

As with the Pre-Simulation Quiz, you may take the Post-Simulation Quiz as many times as you wish, and the
questions remain the same each time. The purpose of the Post-Simulation Quiz is to help identify areas where you
still need remediation after having completed the vSim; it is not intended to serve as a high-stakes assessment.

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 STUDENT USER’S GUIDE

Documentation Assignments

Documentation Assignments provide practice documenting patient information and nursing care related to each
simulation scenario. For optimal use, these assignments can be used with Lippincott DocuCare if your instructor has
elected to use this program in your class. For more information, visit http://thepoint.lww.com/docucare.

Downloading Assignments

You can download the assignments in a Word document to complete the assignments in Word or another format.
Click on the Download button to download and save the Word document.

Completing Assignments in Lippincott DocuCare

My Case Library in Lippincott DocuCare includes pre-populated patient charts for the the National League for
Nursing (NLN) Advancing Care Excellence for Seniors (ACES) Unfolding Cases Scenario Set Scenarios used in vSim
for Nursing. If your instructor has adopted Lippincott DocuCare for your class, he or she can create assignments
for you to complete the documentation in Lippincott DocuCare using the pre-populated patient charts. Click the
Launch DocuCare button in a scenario workflow to open the Lippincott DocuCare platform in a new window and
complete your assignment.

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STUDENT USER’S GUIDE

Guided Reflection Questions is the final step in the workflow where questions are available to allow you to
reflect on the virtual simulation experience and on your learning. The questions are designed to reinforce learning,
promote reflective practice, and help you improve future performance.

TIP: Remember that the post-simulation activities (tabs 4, 5, and 6) for a specific scenario are unlocked
only after you have completed the vSim scenario once.

n  Navigating the vSim Clinical Scenario

In the scenario workflow described above, click the Launch Simulation button on the third chevron tab to launch
the virtual simulation in a new window. While the scenario loads, read the patient introduction again to get
important background information before you see the patient. Tips for using the simulator are available on this
screen as well. When ready to begin, click Go See This Patient.

The virtual simulation starts with the patient’s Electronic Health Record (EHR), open for the user to review any
available orders, active medications, and diagnostic test results before seeing the patient. Tabs of the EHR that have
information available at the beginning of the scenario will flash initially. The following information may be available
in the EHR, depending on the scenario:

n  Patient Information
n  Patient Log
n Diagnostics

n  Clinical Observations
n  Medication Administration Record (MAR)
n Radiology

n Orders

n  Assessment Tools

The EHR is reviewed in detail later in the section titled “Electronic Health Record.” Click the close button at the
bottom of the EHR to continue and see the patient.

Upon entering the patient’s room, you assume the role of the nurse and begin with an introduction to the patient.
Patient responses are driven by the patient’s condition and your actions and communication with the patient.

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 STUDENT USER’S GUIDE

The left side of the vSim screen displays the patient.

The right side of the screen displays the following Actions & Communication menu-tabs:

n Search

n  Safety Measures
n Communication

n Assessments

n Interventions

n  Drugs & IV Management

n  Tests & Diagnostics

The menus are displayed in a logical order influenced by the nursing process, with safety measures presented first,
but you can navigate to any menu and any action at any time. Click the desired menu to navigate to it. You’ll
notice that several menus contain sub-menus. These menus are reviewed in detail in the sections that follow.

The bottom of the screen displays the following information:

n  Time—Displays the current time of day in the scenario (not the current time for the user).
n  Monitor—Becomes activated based on the action selected.
n  Electronic Health Record—Accesses the patient’s EHR.
n  Patient Handoff—Ends the scenario.

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STUDENT USER’S GUIDE

Simulation Time
As mentioned, the time shown on the clock reflects the current time in the scenario. Note that this is not the
actual time at which you are working in the vSim; it is a fictitious time. However, your actions are monitored in
“real time” seconds and minutes.

Scenario time can be paused and/or fast-forwarded, as desired. Simply hover    
over the patient in a scenario to access the control buttons. Use the
left control to pause a scenario; use the right control to fast-forward by
one minute.

TIP: Each scenario will time out after 30 minutes if not completed. However, time during a pause does
not count against this time limit. If a scenario times out, you will still receive a feedback log on the
performance and can retry if desired.

Search Feature
A Search tool is displayed at the top of the menu. You can use the Search feature to locate an action or
assessment in the Actions & Communications menus. This is useful if you are unable to locate an item in the menu.
To use the Search feature, click the magnifying glass icon to display a search field where you can type. You can also
simply start typing on your keyboard at any time to bring up the Search field.

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 STUDENT USER’S GUIDE

Click the Search tab and begin typing the first few letters of an action or assessment that you would like to locate.
For example, type “breathing” if you want to assess the patient’s ability to breathe. The search results display all
actions and questions that match what was entered. Select the appropriate action, and vSim directs you to that
category.

Actions & Communication Menu

  The Actions & Communication menu consists of tabbed options that are used to care for the patient.
Let’s review each of these options, their related sub-menu options, and the actions that can be performed
in greater detail.

Safety Measures

Safety Measures is the first menu option. To perform an action, click the Safety Measure icon. Once a safety
measure has been selected, you cannot stop or undo the action.

In Safety Measures, the following actions can be taken:

n  Wash Hands
n  Identify Patient
n  Ask About Allergies
n  Perform Medication Reconciliation
n  Perform Get Up and Go Test

Communication

Actions related to Communication allow you to call for assistance from other clinicians or departments if the
patient’s condition changes or deteriorates. You can also provide education to the patient and ask important
questions relative to the patient’s health and medical history in order to decide what interventions or actions to
perform. The following actions are performed on the Communication menu:

Interprofessional Communication may be needed if a patient’s situation

deteriorates, if something changes the priorities for treatment of the patient,
or if other departments should be notified of issues or risks. It allows the
student to Call Provider, Call Home Health, Call Rehab Center, Call Physical
Therapist, Call Assisted Living Facility, Call ICU, or Call Funeral Home.

To use any Interprofessional Communication feature, click the appropriate

icon and follow the actions. Once selected, Interprofessional Communication
actions cannot be stopped..

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Communication & Education is the second option in the Communication

menu. There are four possible subcategories in this menu (not all
subcategories appear in all scenarios):

n  Ask a general question

n  Ask a question related to an assessment tool
n  Support the patient or the patient’s family
n  Educate the patient or the patient’s family

The first two subcategories allow the student to ask questions that are important to the patient’s care. Click the
desired category to expand it, then select from the list of relevant questions. The patient responds to the questions
and, based upon the response, the student can decide the appropriate actions to take.

The second two subcategories allow the student to provide patient and/or family education related to the current
health problem or interventions.

Assessments

The Assessments menu contains all nursing assessment actions that can be performed on the patient. (Note: Ask
Questions: Pain Assessment is also included in the Communication menu.) The Assessments menu contains the
following categories:

Head-to-Toe Assessment—Conduct a head-to-toe assessment by hovering the mouse over the part of the
patient silhouette image you wish to assess. This menu can also be used to examine only one portion of
the patient’s body, such as the legs.

Assessment Tools—After clicking this option, select the desired assessment tool from the list of assessment
tools to open that tool in the patient’s Electronic Health Record. As you ask the patient questions, fill in the
items in the appropriate assessment tool(s). (Note: To ask the patient questions related to an assessment
tool, go to the Communication menu, then to the Communication & Education sub-menu, and choose “Ask a
question related to an assessment tool.”)

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 STUDENT USER’S GUIDE

Auscultate—Select the area of the patient silhouette. The nurse will demonstrate auscultation and
describe sounds. Actual heart and breath sounds are not played in the simulator.

Vital Signs—Select the desired vital sign—for example, Measure Blood Pressure—to assess.

In addition, comprehensive, more focused assessments are also included in the Assessments menu. The categories
are:

Respiratory, Neurological, Cardiovascular, Integumentary, and Gastrointestinal & Genitourinary Assessments

Within each category are numerous detailed assessments. To perform an assessment, click the icon for the
assessment. Notice that the simulated nurse automatically responds with good communication skills before and
after an action is performed.

In the role of the nurse, you decide what assessments and interventions are most appropriate based on orders and
the patient’s needs. Using your best clinical judgment, initiate those actions. The actions that you perform are
automatically recorded and can be viewed on the Patient Log in the EHR, on the monitor at the bottom of the
scenario screen, and at the end of the scenario in the feedback log.

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STUDENT USER’S GUIDE

After reviewing the assessment findings and referring to the EHR for provider orders, test results, and more, you are
better prepared to take the intervention action(s) deemed appropriate.

Interventions

The Interventions menu contains groups of actions that can be performed when caring for the patient. Determine
the most appropriate action based on provider orders, assessment findings, and nursing judgment. For example, if a
patient requires oxygen therapy, the associated actions are found under Oxygen Therapy. Notice that after clicking
a continuous action icon, such as Attach Nasal Cannula, an Active label appears on the icon. This indicates that
the Attach Nasal Cannula action is continuously providing oxygen and will continue until it is stopped. To stop a
continuous action, simply click that icon again, and the Active label is removed.

The Interventions menu contains the following groups of actions:

Oxygen Therapy——includes actions related to administering oxygen. When using an oxygen device, it’s
important to set the rate of the oxygen delivered by clicking the slide bar on the device; otherwise, the
oxygen will not begin flowing.

Integumentary Interventions—includes actions related to dressings and wounds.

Drugs & IV Management

The Drugs & IV Management menu contains actions relating to administering drugs and managing IVs.

Manage IV Access and Active Drugs—includes actions related to IV access. Any IVs present and any
actively infusing drugs are shown on the silhouette image in this menu. Select Insert on the desired site to
initiate access. Click on any active infusions to jump to the Drugs and Fluids sub-menu.

Drugs and Fluids—select the drug and route of administration and set the dose or rate of infusion.
Remember to check the provider orders on the electronic health record before administering a drug as
part of ensuring the rights of medication administration. Orders can be accessed quickly by clicking the
Provider’s Orders icon inside the Drugs and Fluids sub-menu.

Tests & Diagnostics

Tests & Diagnostics contains actions related to diagnostic tests, such as Measure Glucose and Collect Urine Sample.
After a test has been analyzed, the results are automatically updated on the EHR, and the icon on the bottom of
the screen starts to flash.

Click the icon to access the EHR screen to view test results.  

TIP: Remember how to manage continuous actions:

n   o activate a continuous action, such as oxygen administration or an intravenous infusion, click the
T
appropriate icon. The label on the icon automatically updates to Active.
n  To stop a continuous action, click the icon again. The label on the icon is removed.

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 STUDENT USER’S GUIDE

Electronic Health Record

The Electronic Health Record (EHR) is the patient’s medical chart. In addition to viewing information about your
patient, it allows you to view test results, check provider’s orders, verify medications administered, and review
other pertinent patient information.

Actions that are performed in the scenario are automatically recorded in the Patient Log, and medications are listed
in the Medication Administration Record (MAR). It is important to refer to the EHR throughout the scenario to
help make the best clinical decisions.

The EHR header contains basic information such as the patient’s name, admitting diagnosis, height, weight, date of
birth, gender, and allergies. The header remains visible throughout the patient’s chart.

A Minimize/Maximize icon is displayed when the mouse is hovered over the right edge of the EHR record.

The Close icon at the bottom of the screen exits the EHR screen and returns you to the scenario.

Below the header are patient chart tabs, which, when clicked, navigate to that section of the patient’s chart. Notice
the Orders tab is presently displayed above. Let’s review each chart tab in greater detail:

Patient Information contains additional patient information and the patient introduction that was
presented before seeing the patient.

Patient Log keeps track of interventions, communication, assessments, and other actions performed
during the current scenario.

Diagnostics displays pending and complete diagnostic test results.

Clinical Observations displays clinical data for assessments performed, such as heart rate and
temperature measurements. Assessments you perform are automatically updated in the EHR.

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STUDENT USER’S GUIDE

Medication Administration Record (MAR) displays information about medications (time, dose,
route) administered to the patient. Information about medication administered during the scenario is
automatically updated in the EHR.

Radiology displays pending and complete radiology results. Interventions performed are automatically
updated in the EHR record.

Orders displays all treatment ordered by the provider. The orders tab should be checked several times
throughout the scenario, particularly prior to administering medications and performing interventions. It
should also be checked prior to exiting the scenario to make sure provider orders have been completed.
Click on hyperlinked drug names and procedures in Orders to access SmartSense links to expert clinical
content from Lippincott Advisor and Lippincott Procedures.

Assessment Tools displays the appropriate assessment tools for that patient. As you ask the patient
questions related to an assessment tool, fill in the items in the appropriate assessment tool. (Note: To
ask the patient questions related to an assessment tool, go to the Communication menu, then to the
Communication & Education sub-menu, and choose “Ask a question related to an assessment tool.”)

TIP: Note that this EHR serves only to provide information during the simulation. This record is not
Lippincott DocuCare, an educational EHR in which you can complete documentation assignments
related to vSim for Nursing scenarios, as well as other scenarios and clinical patients if your instructor
has elected to use this program in your class.

Ending a Simulation
When you think that you have done everything for the patient, or to end  
the simulation for any other reason, click the Patient Handoff icon at the
bottom of the scenario screen.

An End Scenario confirmation message is displayed. Click Yes to end the scenario.

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 STUDENT USER’S GUIDE

In some scenarios, you will receive a message to care for the patient a little longer if you attempt to end the scenario
before certain critical events have occurred that are essential to the learning objectives. For example, if implementing
an intervention produces adverse events that you are expected to recognize, the scenario will ask you to continue
working until the intervention is performed. If you attempt a Patient Handoff too early, this action may trigger events
to advance in the scenario to avoid having you wait. You may also need to carry out additional provider orders to have
the scenario progress in some cases.

Feedback Log
After ending the simulation, you will be presented with a personalized feedback log, which outlines the actions taken
with the patient and actions that you should have completed. This information changes each time you revisit the
scenario and select different actions. The feedback log provides a detailed summary of the patient care provided,
feedback on the appropriateness of actions for this patient, and a final score.

Main Opportunities for Improvement are displayed on the left side of the feedback screen. This section identifies
up to five areas that need improvement. Scroll over the entries in this list to view the context in the log on the
right. The Basic View of the feedback log provides a list of all actions taken or not taken, whereas the Detailed
View provides the same list of actions but also includes patient physiology and assessment data.

You can also link to other resources for further reading and remediation. Clicking the green SmartSense icons
provides a page reference in the textbook for core course information, or links to clinical content from Lippincott
Advisor and Lippincott Procedures. Review these materials to gain a better understanding of the rationale for
correct and incorrect actions. You can also click on hyperlinked keywords to read drug monographs or instructions
on basic nursing procedures for further learning and preparation for manikin-based simulation or clinicals.

Incorrect actions or missed actions are tallied and used to determine the score, shown at the bottom of the
feedback log. See “Explanation of vSim Scoring” for details about how scores are determined.

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STUDENT USER’S GUIDE

After reviewing the feedback log, you can choose to:

n  Repeat the simulation,

n  Do additional readings, or

n  Continue to the Post-Simulation Assessment.

TIP: If you retry a vSim clinical scenario, you will have the option to view past results for that scenario
on the patient introduction screen. Note that this only provides quick access to past feedback logs
for the selected vSim clinical scenario. Go to My Results from the main vSim for Nursing page to view
results for the Post-Simulation Quiz and for other scenarios.

n  Enrolling in Your Instructor’s Class

When your instructor creates a class for vSim for Nursing (or Lippincott CoursePoint+, if applicable), he or she will
receive a unique Class Code for each class as well as instructions to give to students. Use the Class Code your
instructor provides to join your class online. Once you have joined your class, your instructor will be able to view
your results in vSim for Nursing. Your instructor will see the same results you see in My Results (see “Reviewing My
Results” below).

You may enroll in a class the first time you access vSim for Nursing (see “Initial Choices About Class Enrollment”)
or at any time from My Classes. You will find a link to My Classes in the top right corner of each screen. Visit My
Classes to view your class information or to join a class.

To join a class from the My Class page:

1. Click the link to take you to the My Classes page, and select Join a Class.

2.  Enter the Class Code provided by your instructor.

3. Select Enroll.
4. You will receive confirmation that your enrollment was successful. Click Continue to return to the My
Classes page.

If you are not ready to enroll in a class, you can select Not Now. If you decide to enroll in a different class at
another time, you can repeat this process from My Classes.

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 STUDENT USER’S GUIDE

TIP: When enrolling in a class, remember that thePoint Access Code and Class Code are two different
things:
n  t hePoint Access Code is used to set up an account at thePoint (thePoint.lww.com) and get access
to an online product and resources.
n  Class Code is used to join the class your instructor has created.

n  Reviewing My Results

Regardless of whether you are enrolled in your instructor’s class, you can always view your work in My Results.
When you view results, Best Results are presented first; you can click through to see further detail on your
performance and view your full history of results for each scenario.

In general, you can view the following for each scenario:

n Pre-Simulation Quiz completion status (you receive immediate feedback and can change answers, so no
score is provided)
n  vSim scenario score and full feedback log
n  Post-Simulation Quiz score and full quiz results

View Best Results

To view your best results for each scenario:

1. From the main vSim for Nursing page, click on My Results under vSim Student Resources to open the
Best Results screen. Here you can see a summary of your best results for all 10 scenarios.
2. Review your best results for all scenarios. Read across the columns to see whether you have completed
the Pre-Simulation Quiz and view the best scores for the vSim and Post-Simulation Quiz for each
scenario.

3. Review the detailed results for your best scores. Click on the numeric vSim score to display the feedback
log for your best attempt in a new window. Click on the Post-Simulation Quiz score to display the quiz
results page for your best attempt in a new window.

View All Results for a Scenario

Continue from the steps above to view your full history of all results for a specific vSim for Nursing scenario:

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STUDENT USER’S GUIDE

1. On the Best Results screen, click on a scenario title to open the All Results page for the selected
scenario. You can now see the results for every attempt you have made for this scenario.
2. Review your progress over time. All results for the selected scenario appear in sequential order, associated
with the date and time of each attempt. You can see how well you did on the first try and whether your
performance has improved with each additional attempt. The best result is highlighted with a star.

TIP: Alternatively, if you are in My Classes, you can click the link to View Results to jump over to your
My Results screens.

Explanation of Scoring
In any view of My Results, you will see the scores for vSim scenarios, including a score (percentage) and number of
improvement opportunities in the columns headed by one, two, and three Xs.

How does the vSim scoring work? Each expert-authored case has specific criteria that must be met in order
to deliver safe, appropriate nursing care. The vSim platform records each of your decisions and compares your
performance against the expert performance. At the end of the case, a numerical percentage score is calculated,
and you are presented with a summary of improvement opportunities, categorized according to the following
rubric.

The impact of individual omitted or wrongly performed actions on the final score is influenced by the complexity of
the individual case.  For example, omitting oxygen therapy in a simple scenario would result in a lower total score
than omitting oxygen therapy in a complex scenario. Scores are provided to help track improvement and do not
necessarily correspond to a letter grade.

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 STUDENT USER’S GUIDE

n  Product and Technical Support

Wolters Kluwer is pleased to offer support if you need assistance with vSim for Nursing. Before you contact us,
please be sure you have done the following:

n  Note the Internet browser and version that you are using (on the browser About page)
n   o to thepoint.lww.com/systemrequirements to review the current system requirements for this
G
product, and be familiar with the versions of software you are using.
n  Copy the URL where the problem or error occurred so you can email it if needed, if possible.
n   opy the exact error message provided if an error message is displayed in the simulator. Capturing a
C
screenshot of the error problem can be helpful.
n  Write down the sequence of events that led to the problem if you encounter an issue on thePoint.

If you require technical assistance, contact Wolters Kluwer Online Product Support at 1-800-468-1128
or techsupp@lww.com. Live help is available:

Monday–Thursday: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. EST

Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. EST
Sunday: 4:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. EST

26 All materials copyright © Wolters Kluwer. All rights reserved.