Experiences of Older Adult Volunteers and Nursing Simulation Coordinators in a Graduate-Level Primary Care Telehealth Simulation: Benefits, Facilitators, and Volunteer Management Considerations

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has created both the necessity and opportunity to test and refine virtual volunteering strategies. Through a unique partnership between an AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP program and a school of nursing, a telehealth virtual simulation training was developed for family nurse practitioner students featuring older volunteers as standardized patients. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the two nursing simulation coordinators and three volunteers after the telehealth simulation exercise to identify principles of successful virtual volunteer engagement in this unique training environment. Three major themes emerged: the benefits of virtual volunteering; technology as both a facilitating factor and challenge; and volunteer management considerations.

Keywords:

• Online education
• telehealth
• virtual volunteering

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Dr. Valerie Herbert and Sean Sibley from the University of Maine School of Nursing for their assistance in reviewing this manuscript to ensure an accurate and clear description of nursing simulation activities.

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Data availability statement

Raw data were generated at the University of Maine. Derived data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author JC on request.

Additional information

Funding

This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number U1QHP330800200, Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program, Year Two-total award amount $754,907.00. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by, HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.