Preparing FNP Students to Manage Behavioral Health in Primary Care Through Telehealth Simulation

The COVID pandemic has exponentially increased the demand for behavioral health treatment while its requisite social distancing has hastened the adaption of telehealth. Academic preparation of family nurse practitioners requires addressing both factors as opportunity for face-to-face clinical experience also declines. The goal of this workshop is to review the process of creating a telehealth simulation of a primary care visit within a behavioral health curriculum. Learners will review concepts of motivational interviewing, case scenario development, and utilization of experienced clinical faculty as standardized patients to enhance simulation realism.