Purpose: This paper describes undergraduate nursing students' assessment of learning in a clinical teaching model that replaces 50% of the traditional clinical hours with high-fidelity simulation. We assessed students' perceptions of the use of best practices in simulation teaching, and the importance assigned to each teaching practice to support learning. Methods: Longitudinal program evaluation design. We surveyed undergraduate nursing students with the Educational Practices Questionnaire (EPQ) at the mid-point (semester 2) and end of the program (semester 4). We used paired t-tests to assess changes in student EPQ scores between mid-and end-program. Results: Results showed that students' reported greater exposure over time to clinical simulation activities that fostered active learning and high expectations; the degree to which they rated collaborative learning as important also increased. Conclusions: Students' perceptions of the use of educational best practices and the importance of simulation in nursing education from program mid-point to end-point lends support for a clinical teaching model that uses a simulation to substitute for traditional clinical hours.

Honors programs in nursing can facilitate the professional development of high-achieving students, supporting their lifelong engagement in nursing practice, education, research, and health care policy issues. Strong mentoring relationships are commonly identified as essential to the success of nursing honors programs, but literature on mentoring relationships in an honors context is limited. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into faculty and student expectations for mentorship. Faculty and students shared similar expectations for both the mentor and mentee, highlighting key themes of engagement, facilitation, accountability, and collaboration as necessary for the success of an undergraduate nursing honors program.

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Experiencing the death of loved ones is always difficult. Accepting their wish to not seek medical treatment and the provision of end-of-life care is a challenge. Nurses who become comfortable and knowledgeable about the palliative care trajectory and the end of life experience will be able to provide a higher level of support and thus improve the quality of life for those they encounter.