My experience in nursing education and the use of simulation in nursing led me to Dr. Pamela R. Jeffries, a nurse educator whose research has made significant contributions to simulation, experiential learning, and technology in nursing education (Pfrommer, 2024). As simulation technology becomes more sophisticated, I am interested in whether increasingly complex technology actually produces better learning.
Jeffries’ most important contribution to ed tech and nursing education is the development of the NLN/Jeffries simulation framework, which later developed into the NLN Jeffries Simulation Theory, a foundational framework for the development and evaluation of simulation-based learning, including elements such as learning objectives, educational practices, the simulation experience, and learner outcomes (Cowperthwait, 2020; Fentress et al., 2014). As the nursing education field continues to incorporate more technology, ranging from high-fidelity mannequins, virtual simulation, gaming, artificial intelligence, and others, her work remains relevant in the education technology field as it emphasizes that the value of these technologies is dependent on how effectively they support learning, rather than how technologically sophisticated they are.
Jeffries’ work reflects an experiential view of learning; students engage with simulation by participating in realistic situations, make decisions, receive feedback, and reflect on their experiences with their instructors and peers. The Faculty Simulation Toolkit (Hammond et al., n.d.) identifies simulation as an example of active learning and directly connects active learning with experiential learning, reflection, and knowledge construction. This perspective connects with Weller’s (2020) critique of the “year zero mentality” in educational technology. Rather than assuming technology represents improvement simply because it’s more sophisticated, Jeffries provides a way to consider whether technology enhances learning.
Links:
Dr. Jeffries advocates for clinical nurse leaders to leverage AI tools in staffing. Nursing’s Digital Identity: Leveraging Unique Nurse Identifiers and Artificial Intelligence-Based Tools to Transform Hospital Nurse Staffing Models – ScienceDirect
Podcast Interview for Osmosis by Elsevier on the importance of simulation in nursing education. The Growing Importance of Simulation in Nursing Education: Dr. Pamela Jeffries, Dean of Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
Generative A.I. Statement:
This work was created through human effort, no A.I. was used in its creation.
References:
Cowperthwait, A. (2020). NLN/Jeffries Simulation Framework for Simulated Participant Methodology. Clinical Simulation in Nursing, 42(2), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecns.2019.12.009.
Hammond, C., Knoops, M., Morin, M., Peiravi, M., PIlla, J., Samwel, S., Stockdale, J. (n.d.). Faculty Simulation Toolkit. Open Library.
Fentress, H., Thomas, C., Gantt, L. (2014). The Educational Practices Construct of the NLN/Jeffries Simulation Framework: State of the Science. Clinical Simulation in Nursing, 10(7), 345-352. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecns.2013.04.006.
Jeffries, P., Russell, R., Lee, S.Y., Ivory, C., Aldritch, K. (2026). Nursing’s Digital Identity: Leveraging Unique Nurse Identifiers and Artificial Intelligence-Based Tools to Transform Hospital Nurse Staffing Models. Nurse Leader, 24(4). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2026.102700
Pfrommer, M. (Host). (2024, December 12). The Growing Importance of Simulation in Nursing Education: Dr. Pamela Jeffries, Dean of Vanderbilt University School of Nursing (514) [Audio podcast episode]. In Osmosis+. Elsevier. https://www.osmosis.org/podcast/simulation-in-nursing-education-pamela-jeffries-vanderbilt
Weller, M. (2020). 25 Years of Ed Tech. Athabasca University Press. https://doi.org/10.15215/aupress/9781771993050.01