In the past, undergraduate courses at S.H.A.R.E. Simulation Hospital Advancing Research & Education® were limited to nursing students. That paradigm shifted in Spring 2025. Now all health science and public health students at the School of Nursing and Health Studies can get simulation-based clinical experience right on campus, thanks to an innovative new course piloted by Associate Professors of Clinical Ruth Everett-Thomas and Ashley Falcon.
Everett-Thomas, a registered nurse, and Falcon, an epidemiologist, launched Applied Basic Principles in Healthcare, or BPH 299, this past January at S.H.A.R.E. As the course’s name suggests, the curriculum covers a wide range of foundational skills and topics designed to prepare students for real-world clinical environments. Students learn the building blocks of health care, such as CPR, proper handwashing techniques, and how to take vital signs. They also practice how to safely put on and remove personal protective equipment (PPE), conduct mental health screenings, measure, cut, and crush medications according to safety specifications, and much more.
“The simulation hospital is a super-cool part of the School of Nursing and Health Studies,” said inaugural participant Daniela Dechard, B.S.H.S. ’25. “As a health science major, this course was a first opportunity to get some hands-on experience in the lab. The lecture and simulation on motivational interviewing was a huge breakthrough for me. It showed me that the questions you ask a patient can change their mind about seeking help, getting medical attention, or their disposition to access different resources that could benefit them.”
Health science majors at the school can opt for a general focus to their bachelor’s degree or pursue premed, prepharmacy, or prephysical therapy, to name a few specialized tracks. Some students, like Dechard, came to BPH 299 with real-world experience as health care volunteers. Others, however, had little or no prior clinical experience, and a few had never even heard of, much less participated in, simulation education before enrolling in the class.
Everett-Thomas and Falcon kept that range of exposure in mind when creating the BPH 299 syllabus. “This course helps them make a more informed choice,” said Everett-Thomas. “We help them work out what specialties they want to go into, what options are available to them.”
BPH 299 is a novel concept. First- and second-year health science students rarely have access to a full semester of clinical experience, simulation or otherwise, and the course is unique in combining the diverse nursing and public health expertise of two veteran educators. “It was very exciting to have a course at S.H.A.R.E., and to have Everett-Thomas and Falcon guide us was amazing,” said Kathryn Bonilla, B.S.H.S. ’25, a premed graduate. “This class really aligned with my career goals.”
BPH 299 encourages students to put what they practice into a larger perspective. “They’re learning about situations they will come to see in a hospital environment, but we also give them a bird’s-eye view of the health care system—and the factors that make-or-break patients’ health care experiences,” said Falcon.
Rising senior Bethany Nurzia, a health science major, enjoyed that blend of theory and practice. “You gain a deeper understanding of the American health care system from all angles and then participate in clinical-style demonstrations to apply the skills you learn,” she said. “This course definitely solidified my passion for medicine and has given me more confidence in my own abilities.”
The “debriefing” sessions students take part in after each simulation exercise, explained Falcon, are crucial for their personal and professional growth. “Students seeing themselves in action, reflecting on their experiences in a supportive setting, and having these ‘aha’ moments fuel their hunger for further growth,” she said.
That observation rings true for Nurzia, whose professional path was influenced by BPH 299. “After graduation, I plan to get my accelerated B.S.N. degree and become a registered nurse. Eventually, I hope to go to med school or get my Ph.D. in something like epidemiology or nutrition,” she said. “The health science curriculum has given me a strong foundation and confidence to pursue any path I desire in the future.”
BPH 299 also had a powerful impact on Daniel Adili-Khams, a health science major on the premed track. “This course really told me what I need to work on as a future provider as far as talking to a patient and building that trust with patients,” he said.
With their pilot a documented success, Falcon and Everett-Thomas said they are excited to see how BPH 299, and the students who take it, will evolve. For second-year public health major Carjae Duncombe, that evolution is already under way. “I found it very cool seeing how the university could create a fully functioning hospital setting on campus. From the NICU to the operating room, it’s amazing how realistic it is,” she said. “Before this course, there was no way for me to get clinical experience without going to a hospital. Now I look forward to being able to go into clinicals with knowledge of proper procedures. If they ever need help, I’ll know how to step in.”
Senior editor Robin Shear contributed to this report.
