Increase students’ psychological safety while caring for the pediatric population with improved communication skills, assessment skills, atraumatic interventions, and medication safety.
Based on faculty and adjunct faculty assessment in the classroom and clinical settings, knowledge gaps were identified when students were caring for the pediatric population. The main areas captured were understanding the growth and development of all 5 age groups (infant, toddler, preschooler, school-age, and adolescent), understanding language and communication development within the age groups, and how to properly interact with the pediatric population to create an atraumatic environment (highest importance for this population). Student feedback was also captured, indicating the need for more practice with medication and medication calculations, the need for improved self-confidence while working with pediatric patients, and creating a more psychologically safe environment while practicing and learning necessary skills for this vulnerable population.
All nursing students will attend a 2-day lab for 2.5 hours. The first day of bootcamp/lab will include assessments for the pediatric population. This will include demonstrating how to atraumaticly perform assessments on an infant and then a preschooler. Then, students are split into 2 groups of 3-5 and rotate between 2 mini-scenarios. One scenario focused on assessing an infant with respiratory issues. Students will need to gather assessment pieces, provide appropriate age-based interventions, and communicate with the caregiver, patient, and doctor. The second scenario includes performing an assessment on a 5-year-old child. This scenario focuses more on appropriate communication techniques to provide atraumatic care while gathering assessment pieces. Both scenarios stress growth and development, communication techniques, and atraumatic care. The second day of bootcamp/lab involves math and medication practices. Students are required to complete a medication math packet prior to lab, and answers are reviewed and discussed further if necessary. Students are then broken up into 4 groups of 2-3, and all are given medication orders and general orders for students to practice medication math in real time, as well as draw up medications that are used more commonly in the pediatric population. This day focuses on safety in the pediatric population and allows more hands-on application prior to their simulation experiences to help build confidence and knowledge, and therefore increase psychological safety.
Results of student feedback are collected via a Google Forms survey. Please see the results below in the URLs section from Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Fall 2025, and Spring 2026. Student assessments were also re-evaluated in the classroom and clinical setting by instructors and faculty adjuncts. Overall, instructors and adjunct faculty saw an increase in student confidence when working with pediatric patients, which also improved students’ ability to recognize proper growth and development, their ability to communicate effectively, and their ability to implement atraumatic care. Student feedback revealed an increase in confidence, psychological safety, and general knowledge and skills within the pediatric population. The pediatric bootcamp showed positive results and bridged previously identified gaps from theory to practice. Therefore, pediatric bootcamp will continue to be implemented within the nursing program to help strength student knowledge and skills related to the pediatric population.
Prelicensure nursing students often have limited hands-on exposure to pediatric learning, which leads to gaps in confidence and clinical skill application. This initiative aims to increase students’ psychological safety while caring for pediatric patients by improving communication, assessment skills, atraumatic care, and medication safety. A needs assessment using faculty and student feedback identified deficits in growth and development, communication, atraumatic interventions, medication math, and overall student confidence.
A two-day pediatric lab bootcamp was implemented for all nursing students. Day one focused on hands-on pediatric assessments, including atraumatic practices, developmental considerations, and communication through demonstration and small-group scenarios. Day two emphasized medication safety, requiring pre-lab preparation and active participation in medication calculation and administration while maintaining safe practices.
Evaluations included student surveys and faculty assessments across multiple semesters. Results showed increased student confidence, psychological safety, and improved ability to apply growth and development, communicate effectively, and perform atraumatic care within the pediatric population. Faculty also noted improved clinical performance within the hospital setting.
The pediatric bootcamp successfully addressed learning gaps and will continue to be implemented within the curriculum. Ongoing evaluation will guide improvements and explore its impact on simulation outcomes and student competency in pediatric nursing.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Mini Scenario #1- Day #1 | 197.11 KB |
| Mini Scenario #2- Day #1 | 197.06 KB |
| Math Packet- Day #2 | 19.63 KB |
| Medication Orders- Day #2 | 59 KB |
| Provider Orders- Day #2 | 77.83 KB |