vSim for Nursing

by Laerdal Medical  · Based in Norway → — Develop clinical judgment, competence, and confidence in nursing students through virtual simulation.
Internal Medicine Obstetrics & Gynecology Pediatrics
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Per-license, per-year subscription model; varies by module/course.
Regulatory Status Disclosed

Overview

vSim for Nursing, co-developed by Laerdal Medical and Wolters Kluwer, is a web-based virtual simulation program designed to provide nursing students with immersive patient encounters and interactive communication practice. It offers a safe, realistic online environment where students can hone their clinical judgment, prioritization, and decision-making skills before practicing in a sim lab or real clinical setting.

The platform features realistic 3D patient graphics and dynamic patient responses, allowing students to assess changing conditions and prioritize care. Scenarios are expert-authored by the National League for Nursing (NLN) and are evidence-based, aligning with modern nursing curricula and preparing students for the Next Generation NCLEX®. Each scenario follows a guided learning flow, from preparation to simulation and debrief, with integrated curriculum resources, pre- and post-simulation quizzes, and guided reflection questions.

vSim for Nursing provides personalized feedback after each scenario, detailing performance insights, decisions made, and SBAR communication, which supports targeted remediation and deeper learning. It can be used as a standalone product or integrated with Lippincott CoursePoint+ and Lippincott DocuCare for a comprehensive educational experience, including electronic health record practice.

Reviewed by Pouyan Golshani, MD — Interventional Radiologist

Key Features

  • Realistic 3D patient graphics and dynamic responses
  • Expert-authored, evidence-based scenarios by NLN
  • Integrated SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) communication tool
  • Guided learning flow with pre/post quizzes and reflection
  • Personalized feedback and performance insights for remediation
  • Electronic Health Record (EHR) integration for charting and orders
  • Anytime, anywhere access on browser or tablet
  • Practice in various specialties: Medical-Surgical, Fundamentals, Maternity, Pediatrics, Mental Health, Pharmacology, Health Assessment, Gerontology, LPN/LVN
  • Supports clinical judgment development for Next Generation NCLEXu00ae
  • Ability to call provider and perform patient handoff within scenarios

Use Cases

  • Nursing student training and education
  • Developing clinical judgment and decision-making skills
  • Enhancing communication skills (e.g., SBAR)
  • Supplementing or replacing traditional clinical hours
  • Preparation for the Next Generation NCLEXu00ae
  • Faculty training and curriculum integration

What Physicians Need to Know

Case-Based Learning
The platform offers extensive case-based learning through over 400 realistic patient scenarios, co-authored by the National League for Nursing (NLN). These interactive scenarios allow learners to make clinical decisions and experience dynamic patient responses.
Simulation Features
Key simulation features include realistic 3D patient graphics and behavior, dynamic patient responses to interventions, and integrated SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) workflows for communication practice. It also incorporates 'Clinical Judgment in Action' pause-and-reflect moments and enhanced auscultation sounds for diagnostic precision.
Knowledge Assessment
vSim for Nursing includes pre- and post-simulation quizzes, provides detailed personalized feedback, and generates debriefing logs. It offers performance insights to assess student prioritization, actions, and clinical reasoning across various dimensions of patient care.
Specialty Board Prep
While not a direct tool for physician specialty board preparation, vSim for Nursing is designed to build clinical judgment, critical thinking, and decision-making skills essential for nursing practice and preparedness for the Next Generation NCLEXu00ae. It covers a wide range of nursing specialties, which can provide foundational understanding of patient care across various domains.
Evidence-Based Content Updates
The platform features real-world, evidence-based scenarios authored by the NLN and validated by an Expert Advisory Board, ensuring content reflects best practices in nursing. It also integrates point-of-care content like Lippincott Advisor and Lippincott Procedures.
Interactive Anatomy/Imaging
vSim for Nursing utilizes 3D patient graphics and includes auscultation sound enhancements. However, it does not primarily feature interactive anatomical exploration or diagnostic imaging interpretation tools. Its focus is on patient scenarios and clinical decision-making rather than detailed anatomical visualization.
Peer Learning Features
While primarily focused on individual learning and personalized feedback, vSim for Nursing can be integrated into curricula for group activities and classroom discussions, thereby facilitating peer-to-peer dialogue and collaborative learning.
Progress Tracking
The tool offers robust progress tracking through personalized feedback logs generated after each scenario, recording student interactions and choices. Instructors can access student performance data, scenario results, scores, and SBAR communication to monitor individual and class progress.
Physician Tip

For physicians or medical educators, vSim for Nursing can serve as a valuable resource for interprofessional education, offering insights into the nursing process, clinical judgment, and communication protocols (like SBAR) from a nursing perspective. While not a direct physician training tool, its realistic patient scenarios can enhance understanding of team dynamics and foundational patient care principles. It can also be used to develop basic clinical reasoning skills that are transferable across healthcare professions.

vSim for Nursing is co-developed by Laerdal Medical and Wolters Kluwer. It integrates seamlessly with Lippincott CoursePoint+ for a comprehensive learning solution and Lippincott DocuCare for simulated electronic health record practice. It also leverages evidence-based point-of-care content from Lippincott Advisor and Lippincott Procedures.

Details

Category Medical Education & Training
Pricing Per-license, per-year subscription model; varies by module/course.
  • Example: vSim for LPN/LVN 1 year Student License: $103.00 (excludes tax); vSim NextGen Assessment Standalone Student 1yr: $103.00 (excludes tax)
DeploymentWeb-based (browser or tablet)
Compliance
BAA AvailableUnknown AI-estimated
HIPAA CompliantUnknown AI-estimated
FDA Status Not applicable AI-estimated

vSim for Nursing is a simulation and training product for educational purposes and is not a medical device requiring FDA clearance.
Integrations
EHR Not specified
Specialties Internal Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pediatrics

What the Web Says

vSim for Nursing is a virtual simulation tool designed to enhance nursing education by providing realistic patient scenarios. It aims to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, allowing students to make decisions and observe outcomes in a safe, controlled environment. Reviews highlight its effectiveness in improving critical thinking and clinical judgment.

Overall: Positive

Strengths

  • Enhances critical thinking and clinical judgment skills.
  • Provides a safe environment for learning from mistakes.
  • Offers realistic patient scenarios and immediate feedback.
  • Accessible and flexible for remote or blended learning.
  • Improves student confidence before clinical rotations.
  • Integrates well with existing nursing curricula.

Limitations

  • Can be expensive for institutions or individual students.
  • Technology issues or glitches can disrupt learning.
  • May not fully replicate the complexities of real-world patient interactions.
  • Requires reliable internet access and compatible devices.
  • Some users find the interface less intuitive than desired.
  • Potential for students to rush through scenarios without deep reflection.

Based on reviews from: Reddit, G2, Capterra, Healthcare IT News, Nursing Education Journals

Last updated: 2026-07-31

Ratings & Reviews

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Value for Money

Press & Coverage

Business Wire
Wolters Kluwer Celebrates a Decade of Bringing Virtual Nursing Education and Innovation to Students
Wolters Kluwer Health announced the tenth anniversary of vSim for Nursing, a virtual simulation solution that has benefited over two million nursing students by providing clinically based experiences and addressing the shortage of clinical sites.
2024-10
Wolters Kluwer
Leveraging screen-based virtual simulation to enhance clinical judgment in nursing education
This article discusses how screen-based virtual simulation, including vSim for Nursing, enhances clinical judgment, offers scalable solutions for resource constraints, and boosts student confidence in nursing education.
2025-03
Wolters Kluwer
Immersive Virtual Reality Training From Wolters Kluwer & Laerdal Medical Transports Nursing Students to a Busy Hospital Floor
Wolters Kluwer Health and Laerdal Medical announced the development of vrClinicals for Nursing, an immersive VR education experience that builds on vSim for Nursing to strengthen practice readiness through multi-patient, complex care scenarios.
2023-01
Wolters Kluwer
Wolters Kluwer and Laerdal Medical launch virtual simulation solution to support higher clinical fidelity in nursing education
The next generation of vSim for Nursing, co-developed by Wolters Kluwer and Laerdal Medical, offers enhanced 3D design and diverse patient scenarios to improve clinical judgment, competence, and confidence in nursing students.
2022-01
PMC
Faculty's Perception on Student Performance using vSim for Nursingu00ae as a Teaching Strategy
This pilot study explored nursing faculty's perceived effectiveness of using vSim for Nursingu00ae to replace clinical practice during the COVID-19 pandemic, finding strong agreement on its effectiveness for student learning and faculty preparedness.
2022-02
PMC
Virtual Simulation to Enhance Clinical Reasoning in Nursing: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual simulations, including vSim, in developing clinical reasoning skills among nurses and nursing students, concluding that virtual simulations can improve these skills.
unknown
MDPI
Korean Nursing Students' Experiences of Virtual Simulation Programs Replacing In-Person Mental Health Nursing Practicum during the COVID-19 Pandemic
This study explores Korean nursing students' experiences with virtual simulation programs like vSim for Nursing, used to replace in-person mental health nursing practicums during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting its role in enhancing clinical reasoning skills.
2024-03
Taylor & Francis Online
Using virtual simulation to develop clinical judgment in nursing education
This article discusses how vSim for Nursing software, developed by Wolters Kluwer Health, Lippincott, Laerdal Medical, and the National League for Nursing, equips nursing students with clinical experience and improves clinical judgment, competence, and confidence.
2025-11

Videos

Product demos, reviews, and walkthroughs for vSim for Nursing.

View all on YouTube

Frequently Asked Questions

vSim for Nursing utilizes AI to create adaptive, interactive virtual patient scenarios that simulate realistic clinical situations. This allows nursing students to practice clinical judgment, decision-making, and communication skills in a safe environment, receiving personalized feedback on their performance.
vSim for Nursing primarily uses simulated patient data, which does not contain real Protected Health Information (PHI) and therefore is not directly subject to HIPAA. However, the platform adheres to data privacy best practices for managing student performance data, ensuring it is securely handled and often anonymized for analytical purposes.
While vSim excels in developing cognitive skills and critical thinking, it cannot fully replicate the tactile experiences, complex human interaction nuances, or the holistic patient perspective found in real clinical settings. It serves as a valuable supplementary tool rather than a complete replacement for hands-on clinical experience.
Yes, several other AI-driven simulation platforms exist, often specializing in different areas or fidelity levels. Beyond screen-based simulations like vSim, high-fidelity manikin simulations and augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR) training tools also offer immersive learning experiences for nursing education.
Pricing for vSim for Nursing typically involves subscription models, often based on a per-student or institutional license basis. The ROI is generally seen in improved student preparedness, enhanced clinical reasoning skills, and the ability to provide consistent training experiences, which can be more cost-effective than solely relying on physical simulation resources.
vSim for Nursing is designed for seamless integration with common learning management systems (LMS), facilitating easy assignment deployment, gradebook synchronization, and progress tracking within existing academic frameworks. Curriculum integration guides are also available to help faculty incorporate vSim into their teaching strategies.
Research and studies indicate that vSim for Nursing is an effective supplementary teaching strategy, demonstrating improvements in nursing students' knowledge acquisition, clinical judgment, critical thinking, and confidence. These enhanced skills contribute to better preparedness for clinical practice, which can positively impact patient safety.

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Suggest an Edit → | Last Verified: 2026-04-27 | First Added: 2026-04-27
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