What is a Nursing Case Scenario?
A case scenario in the world of healthcare simulation is a patient file of sorts that presents a story of a patient that is suffering from a healthcare related condition to students.
What are Unfolding Clinical Scenarios for Nursing Students?
Unfolding clinical scenarios for nursing students reveal information incrementally, which mirrors real nursing practice. In other words, they require students to evaluate and reevaluate patient situations by analyzing and synthesizing the provided information as it follows a natural progression. Experienced nurses faced with limited context for a patient's situation use clinical forethought—based on past experiences—to predict possible complications and diagnosis.
Case Scenario Examples for Nursing Students
When we create case scenarios for PCS Spark, we think holistically of the patient we are creating and build the scenarios out as complete people in a sense that they have a complete backstory, past medical history, likes, dislikes, etc.
Here are the top 5 case scenarios for nursing students:
1. Nervous System Case Scenario
Valerie Miller is a 38-year-old female who comes into the clinic with complaints of frequent and increased headaches. Nursing students are tasked with performing a complete and focused health assessment gathering all relevant patient history.
>> What Students Will Learn
In this scenario, nursing students will learn communication techniques for gathering patient history and synthesizing the provided information.
2. Respiratory Case Scenario
Violet Robinson is an 8-year-old girl who comes into the emergency department with her mother complaining of troubled breathing. Her primary symptoms are that of fever and shortness of breath, but students will also find she’s been experiencing cough and fatigue. In this case, nursing students are tasked with taking the patient's history to uncover symptoms and any precipitating events.
>> What Students Will Learn
In this scenario, students will learn communication techniques of dealing with a pediatric patient while also consoling a troubled parent.
3. Endocrine Case Scenario
Vanessa Johnson is a 64-year-old female who has come in for a follow up appointment regarding her type 2 diabetes. Nursing students are challenged with screening for medication adherence and identifying non adherent patients.
>> What Students Will Learn
In this scenario, students will learn communication skills associated with screening for medication adherence and chronic disease management.
4. Cardiac Case Scenario
Alex Kasyan is a 68-year-old male who has come into the ER with chest pain. He first noticed a tight and squeezing feeling in his chest the night before.
>> What Students Will Learn
In this scenario, nursing students will practice and develop skills associated with providing emergent care and recognizing signs of an impending heart attack.
5. Mental Health Case Scenario
Vaughn Choi is a 38-year-old male who comes to the clinic for a checkup at the request of a family member. His primary reason for the visit is a routine check-up, but after closer evaluation, students will find that Vaughn suffers from anxiety and nervousness.
>> What Students Will Learn
In this scenario, students will learn to work with patients suffering from mental health disorders and the communication techniques that work best.
Other Common Case Scenario Examples for Nurses
Although this list certainly isn’t exhaustive of all the nursing scenarios being used in simulation with PCS Spark, other common scenarios include:
- PPD (OB / MENTAL HEALTH)
- Head Injury (SUBSTANCE ABUSE)
- Renal Failure (URINARY)
- New Patient Care (SEXUAL HEALTH)
- Pediatric Abdominal Pain (GI)
- Depression (MENTAL HEALTH)
- Influenza (DRUG SEEKING)
- GERD (GI)
- Allergic Reaction (RESPIRATORY)
- Carpal Tunnel (MUSCULOSKELETAL)
Need More Nursing Case Studies? Try PCS’s Free Virtual Patients.
Enhance your nursing students’ education with realistic case scenarios—but without the worry of real patient risks. PCS Spark offers countless predefined and custom case scenarios crafted by our team of physicians, industry experts and former standardized patient educators.
See firsthand what all of this conversational AI fuss is about. We’ve made three of our PCS Spark cases available for anyone to try with absolutely zero commitment. Experience PCS Spark just as your students would by interviewing one of the available patients and performing a physical. When you’re done, we’re standing by to answer any of your questions.