Title: Including a simulation programme into year one nursing practice. How effective is it in terms of student learning? Aims: The aim of this research is to evaluate student learning from the newly introduced simulation programme. Background: Educating undergraduate nurses in the 21st century provides some very realistic challenges. As nursing and faculty shortages collide they create what Hinshaw (2008) calls the “perfect storm” a unique moment in nursing history. This coupled with decreased government health budgets, increased student numbers and higher patient acuities has resulted in a reduction in the availability and quality of clinical placements. Simulated nursing practice is an innervative strategy designed to address these concerns (Kahdong-Edgren, 2011). A simulation programme was designed for Semester 2 undergraduate nursing students as there were no available clinical placements. Methods: Second semester nursing students each take part in a 40 hour simulation programme which consists of: a four hour clinical workshop followed by a two hour clinical duty and a two hour debrief. Students’ work in groups of three, each have an opportunity over the 4 week period to assume the role of primary nurse, observer nurse and patient. Day one each of the students (approximately 84), will be asked to self -assess and rate their knowledge, clinical skills, clinical decision making and critical thinking. They will reassess and rate using by responding to the same questions at the completion of the four week rotation. Results will be analysed on a question to question basis comparing the pre and post ratings. Results: Results at this stage are pending, but will be available July 2012. Conclusions: Pending References Hinshaw, A.S. (2008). Navigating the perfect storm: Balancing a culture with workforce challenges. Nursing Research, 57(1S), S4-S10. ns.2010.03.074 Kahdong-Edgren, S. (2011). Report on the 2nd Swiss Conference on Simulated Patients and Simulation. International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning. Elsevier Inc. doi 10.1016/j.ecns.2010.10.001 Quint, S., & Kahdong-Edgren, S. (2011). Quint Clinical Judgement in Simulation