Avoiding controversy: Considerations for point-of-view nursing simulations

Abstract

Point-of-view simulations involve participants engaging in simulation to experience what it might be like to live with a health condition or disability. These types of simulations have been used frequently in nurse education as a valuable pedagogical tool, as research has shown that student engagement with point-of-view simulations increases student empathy. However, point-of-view simulations have also been problematised by disability community members and scholars researching in the disability space, as ableist and culturally unsafe. This manuscript explores recommendations for, and criticisms of, point-of-view simulations and offers considerations to address these concerns.

Keywords: Baccalaureate; Education; Empathy; Nursing; Patient simulation.