Unique partnership and pediatric simulation facilitates learning for students.

The National League for Nursing (2012) reported that 42.1% of prelicensure RN programs identifi ed a lack of clinical space for student learning experiences was a major barrier faced by nurse educators. Identifi cation of pediatric clinical placement opportunities in hospital settings can be especially daunting; however, partnerships with other organizations interested in promoting health professions careers can result in meaningful learning experiences for all. Using high-fi delity simulators as the cornerstone of the learning experience allows students to practice nursing skills in a safe, fun environment, and a recent study conducted by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing revealed that high-quality simulation experiences can effectively substitute for up to 50% of traditional clinical hours (Hayden, Smiley, Alexander, Kardong-Edgren, & Jeffries, 2014). Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing, a second-degree baccalaureate nursing program located in central Texas, collaborated with the local Texas Area Health Education Center East–Capital Region in a unique partnership to provide hands-on simulated learning experiences developed and implemented by nursing students for junior and senior high school students who expressed an interest in pursuing health careers. The goals were twofold: (a) to introduce the high school students to the nursing profession and the skills used in caring for pediatric patients and (b) to provide a pediatric clinical learning opportunity for the nursing students.