Simulation-based learning experiences during clinical nursing education: insights from a qualitative document study

BACKGROUND: Simulation-based learning experience is increasingly recognised as a pedagogical strategy that enhances nursing education by bridging the theory–practice gap and exposing students to complex clinical scenarios. Considering growing demands for registered nurses and the limited availability of clinical placements, simulation-based learning experience offers a structured and experiential learning approach. Although its relevance to clinical practice is well established, the extent to which simulation-based learning experience is integrated into subject plans for clinical placement courses remains insufficiently explored. The aim of this study was to explore how simulation-based learning experience was described in subject plans for clinical placement courses in Norwegian bachelor nursing programmes. METHODS: This qualitative study was part of a nationwide initiative under the Norwegian Network for Educational Research in Nursing. Subject plans for clinical placements from all 13 Norwegian bachelor nursing programmes were collected. An explorative and descriptive design was employed, and a document analysis using manifest content analysis was conducted. RESULTS: The analysis resulted in one overarching category – Diversity in the level of description – supported by four subcategories: Not mentioned, Mentioned, Described to some extent and Described in detail. The results revealed substantial variation in how simulation-based learning experience was documented. The lack of standardisation suggests that simulation-based learning experience is not systematically embedded in clinical placement planning. CONCLUSION: Simulation-based learning experience has the potential to strengthen clinical education, particularly in contexts with limited placement capacity or where students may not encounter essential learning scenarios. Explicit inclusion of simulation in subject plans for clinical placements may foster institutional commitment and contribute to more equitable and high-quality clinical learning experiences. Further research should be considered to examine how this pedagogical technique could be meaningfully integrated into subject plans for clinical placements.