Do dummies make good teachers? The dilemma of clinical education in nursing

Conclusion: The rationale for increased usage of clinical simulation in Australia is complex. Cessation of hospital based training, replacement by university education, large enrolments, corresponding clinical placement limitations, high acuity levels, and workload/workforce issues in acute and community settings have all contributed to changing education practices; including reliance on simulation technologies. A return to educational practice of the past is not a consideration. Therefore, new technologies must be embraced and used effectively by nurse academics, if their students are to enter the real clinical world as competent and safe clinicians.Purpose: This discussion paper will explore contemporary clinical nursing education in Australia and simulation technologies used in universities to educate Bachelor of Nursing (BN) students. Methods: Informed by auto ethnography, the authors, who are all registered nurses with a wealth of knowledge in diverse clinical settings, reflect on their teaching experiences in the tertiary sector. In their previous professional roles in acute care environments, with an emphasis on clinical education, teaching was undertaken with real people. Now their professional world has shifted, with most clinical teaching being undertaken in university simulation laboratories. In these settings, nursing students gain knowledge to prepare them for clinical practice. Results: Use of university simulation technology presents a challenge for the authors, whose teaching backgrounds are more aligned to intense, dynamic and interactive clinical environments. They note in their reflections that manikins (dummies) can be highly programed to simulate complex clinical scenarios, but they are not real people, with real feelings. The authors acknowledge that technology must be embraced to develop clinical reasoning, so that every student develops the capacity to process information about a patient or client, and plan, implement and evaluate interventio