Virtual simulation-based educational training enhances nursing students’ preparedness to conduct perinatal intimate partner violence screenings

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an unfortunately prevalent experience during the perinatal period and significantly impacts both maternal and fetal health. Ensuring nursing students are adequately prepared to conduct IPV screening and respond to patients’ disclosure of IPV upon graduation is essential to promoting enhanced maternal-child health outcomes. Seventy-eight undergraduate nursing students in their third semester of nursing school participated in the simulated scenario and provided complete data. Students engaged in a virtual simulation-based educational training (SBET) and completed a preposttest assessing their knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to IPV screening and response. Students’ knowledge and skills significantly improved as a result of the virtual SBET (t = −5.99, p < .001, d = −0.67 and t = −4.33, p < .001, d = −0.48, respectively). A relatively low-cost, low-burden virtual SBET can significantly improve nursing students’ perceived knowledge and skills in identifying and caring for pregnant patients experiencing IPV.