Distance and hybrid learning magnify the need for innovative teaching methods and demand a shift in how educators deliver simulation-based learning by emphasizing new technology and emerging delivery methods. Screen-based and telesimulation require nursing students to learn in a new way. During the transition to distance and hybrid learning, undergraduate students lost the interaction of in-person instruction and reported less engagement in classes and coursework. In response, faculty deployed robot telepresence into scenarios to enrich the learning experience. Telepresence with robots permits users to interact and participate using a remote-controlled device for movement.1 Faculty developed a simulation to orient students to inpatient clinical procedures, including patient verification, medication administration, and handoff of care, prior to entering clinical practice. A sub-aim was to provide an interactive, immersive environment. Students rotated through the simulation in groups of 6 using Double-2 iPad robots (Double Robotics, Burlingame, CA) to participate and debrief. Each student had complete and independent control of a robot, enabling them to move and interact with the simulation laboratory environment. Telepresence validated clinical judgment, critical thinking, and decision-making. Further, it mimicked in-person interactions and enabled students to engage with peers, manikins/simulators, and faculty in a more realistic manner. Postsimulation evaluation comments supported the positive experience, indicating greater engagement and increased realism with robots. This strategy allowed for physically present and telepresent participation and facilitated innovative delivery of preclinical readiness simulation, overcoming barriers of distance, isolation, illness, and scheduling.

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