Janet Sopcheck, RN, MA, CCRN, CEN, CAN is an assistant professor in the RN-BSN Program at
Broward College, Davie, Florida. Ms. Sopcheck developed and participated as faculty in an
End-of-Life Course for the program. She is presently enrolled in the doctoral program at Florida
Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida. Her interests and studies are focused on end-of-life
care.
Dr Linda Washington-Brown holds a PhD in Nursing and completed Doctoral candidacy work in
Education Psychology from the University of Miami. She also holds an Executive Juris Doctorate
from Concord Law School and a PhD in Christian Counseling from Jacksonville Theological
Seminary. She is nationally certified as an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner with over 40
years in professional nursing practice and 28 years in academia at the associate, bachelors,
masters, and doctorate levels. She is an American Nurse Association Minority Fellow in
Washington, DC, and has served as a consultant and a site visitor for local and national
educational programs in the development and evaluation of nursing and allied health curriculum
at the basic and advanced levels; including the Council on Collegiate Nursing Education and the
Florida Board of Education. I have served as a grant reviewer for the Florida State Department
of Emergency Medical Services and a federal grant reviewer for HRSA.
Dr. Arman Davis a nursing professor at Broward College in Davie, Florida teaching in the
RN-BSN program. Prior to joining the RN-BSN program, she taught for the ADN program; and
concurrently served as an adjunct faculty for Barry and Nova universities in the RN-BSN
programs. Prior to her joining academia Dr. Davis was employed as the Infusion Nurse Educator
for the Memorial Healthcare System in Florida.
Dr. Angela Russell teaches in the RN-BSN program at Broward College and uses simulations as
a effective teaching strategy in an end-of-life course.
Dr. Christine Williams is the Ronald and Elizabeth Blake Distinguished Professor in Nursing and
Director of the PhD Program in Nursing at the Christine E Lynn College of Nursing, Florida
Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL. Dr. Williams has published extensively about her area of
expertise: mental health and aging. As a seasoned researcher and educator, she regularly
presents her work to regional, national and international audiences. She is lead author of a
book published by Jones and Bartlett entitled Therapeutic Interaction in Nursing. This book is
Arman Davis, Ph.D., Angela Russell, Ph.D., Janet
Sopcheck, MA, & Linda Washington-Brown, Ph.D.
Inception of the End-of-Life Program
Value of high-fidelity simulation to foster reality
based learning
Watson’s Theory of Human Caring
Identify the processes employed in facilitating
caring moments within reality-based simulated
end of life patient scenarios.
Describe communication strategies used with
nursing students to enhance patient and family
dialogue regarding end-of-life issues.
Identify two examples of reality-based scenarios
using high-fidelity simulation and the use of
debriefing as a means to enhance learning.
Illustrate use of interprofessional education
strategies that provide the learners with
knowledge, skills and attitudes essential for
collaborative care of the dying patient.
Honor’s Course within RN-BSN Program
Eight week Session
Four 3 hour laboratory sessions for reality based
end-of-life patient-family centered caring scenarios
Reality-Based Scenarios
Debriefing Session
◦ Conducted after each simulation
Reflective mapping process
Identify “missed” opportunities
Effective communication
Co-participatory teaching-learning
Experiential learning
Supports growing body of research
Integrates concepts of Caring Science
Assimilation of caring with end of life simulations
◦ Caritas Process # 5
Ability to express positive and negative feelings
related to simulated reality-based experiences
◦ Caritas Process # 6
Enhance creativity through empirical, aesthetic,
personal and ethical knowing
Assimilation of caring with end of life simulations
◦ Caritas Process # 7
Simulation fosters transformational learning in a
co-participatory process of being with and transitioning
meanings
◦ Caritas Process # 8
Creates a supportive and protective learning
environment with debriefings to facilitate openness
and exchange
◦ Positive feelings about their ability to care for
patients/families in terminal stage of life
◦ Learning enhanced through pre-simulation
theoretical knowledge followed by reality-based
exercises
◦ Ability to practice caring moments through
effective, empathetic conversations
Afforded a mechanism to illustrate lived
experiences
Promoted “comfortability” and connectedness
within caring moments
Provided constructive feedback on “missed
Apply theory into clinical practice
Assimilate critical thinking within scenarios
Recognize the psychosocial and cultural
multidimensional aspects of end-of-life caring
Practice
◦ Include students in end-of-life caring practical
experiences
Theory
◦ Incorporate a caring theory to further validate the
application of caring science within simulation praxis
Research
◦ Compare traditional methods of learning to hi-fidelity
simulation exercises in end of life care
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Nursing, 8(2), 112-117.
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Davis, A.H. & Kimble, L.P. (2011). Human patient simulation evaluation rubrics for nursing education: Measuring the essentials of baccalaureate education for professional nursing practice. Journal of
Nursing Education, 50(11), 605-611.
Dreifuerst, K.T. (2009). The essentials of debriefing in simulation learning: A concept analysis. Nursing
Education Perspectives, 30(2), 109-114.
Garret, B., MacPhee, M., & Jackson, C. (2010). High-fidelity patient simulation: Considerations for effective learning. Nursing Education Perspectives, 31(5), 309-313.
Gates, M.G., Parr, M.B., & Hughen, J.E. (2012). Enhancing nursing knowledge using high-fidelity simulation. Journal of Nursing Education, 51(1), 9-15.
Hirokawa, R.Y., Daub, K., Lovell, E., Smith, S., Davis, A., & Beck, C. (2012). Using a human patient simulator to study the relationship between communication and nursing students’ team performance.
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Ladd, C., Grimley, K., Hickman, C., Touhy, T.A. (2013). Teaching end-of-life nursing using simulation.
Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing, 15(1), 41-51.
Lusk, J.M. & Fater, K.(2013). Postsimulation debriefing to maximize clinical judgment development.
Nurse Educator, 38(1), 16-19.
Medley, C.F. & Horne, C. (2005). Using simulation technology for undergraduate nursing education.
Moreland, S.S., Lemieux, M.L. & Myers, A. (2012). End-of-life care and the use of simulation in a baccalaureate nursing program. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, 9(1), 1-16.
Panosky, D. (2009). Teaching caring and empathy through simulation. International Journal for
Human Caring, 13(3), 44-46.
Schoening, A.M., Sittner, B.J. & Todd, M.J. (2006). Simulated clinical experience. Nursing students’ perceptions and the educators’ role. Nurse Educator, 31(6), 253-258.
Smith, M., Warland, J. & Smith, Colleen (2012). An innovative strategy in evaluation: Using a sudent engagement framework to evaluate role-based simulation. Journal of Nursing Education,
51(3), 151-154.
Smith-Stoner, M. (2009). Using high-fidelity simulation to educate nursing students about end-of-life care. Nursing Education Perspectives, 30(2), 115-120.
Tuxbury, J.S., McCauley, P.M., & Lement, W. (2012). Nursing and theatre collaborate: An end-of-life simulation using forum theatre. Journal of Nursing Education, 51(8), 462-465.
Twigg, R.D. & Lynn, M.C. (2012) Teaching end-of-life care via a hybrid simulation approach.
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