The Role of Registered Nurses in Nursing Skills Laboratories in Supporting Nursing Students’ Learning Outcomes

Abstract

Nursing skills laboratories are essential learning environments that bridge theoretical knowledge and clinical practice. They provide nursing students with opportunities to develop practical skills, clinical reasoning, decision-making, communication, and safety competencies before delivering care to real patients. The effectiveness of a nursing skills laboratory depends not only on facilities, simulation manikins, and equipment but also on personnel who can systematically align learning outcomes with the preparation of learning environments and supporting processes. This academic article aims to explain the significance of registered nurses working in nursing skills laboratories, analyze their roles and required competencies, and propose practical guidance for nursing education institutions with or without registered nurses assigned to these positions.

The synthesis identified nine major roles: participating in learning-outcome analysis; designing and preparing learning environments; verifying readiness; supporting learning activities and repeated practice; managing safety and risks; managing resources and equipment life cycles; supporting competency assessment; establishing data, evidence, and indicator systems; and contributing to innovation and knowledge development. Required competencies encompass clinical and professional practice, learning support, simulation, technology and operations, management, quality and risk management, and data, research, and innovation. The authors propose the LAB-Nurse Learning Outcome Support Framework, which consists of learning-outcome alignment, authentic and safe environment design, before-learning readiness, nursing learning-process support, outcome and evidence monitoring, and systematic improvement. Employing registered nurses in nursing skills laboratories may represent a systematic approach to transforming laboratories from equipment-preparation areas into professional learning-support systems characterized by clinical accuracy, safety, standardization, and accountability. Further research is recommended to evaluate the proposed framework and its contribution to nursing students’ learning outcomes.