Standardized Patients in Educating Student Nurses: One School's Experience

The use of standardized patients (SPs) integrated into students' educational experience is one suggestion for overcoming clinical site challenges facing nursing educators today. This article describes one university nursing school's experience with starting an SP program and integrating SPs into the curricula for the undergraduate and graduate nursing programs. Additionally, this article discusses how one school expanded the role of SPs to serve as family or caregivers with manikin-based simulation. Questions to consider when starting an SP program are discussed.