Part 2: Turning Struggle into Success in the Lab and Simulation Space
We’ve all been there… standing beside a student in a lab, watching them hesitate before a skill, or hearing a shaky rationale during clinical. Our instincts tell us something’s off, even if their grades don’t show it yet. In nursing education, those early signs matter. Because when a student starts to slip, the consequences go beyond test scores—they can affect patient safety, professional confidence, and ultimately, whether that student makes it to graduation and into practice.
So how do we spot struggling students early enough to make a difference? And once we do, how can we help them get back on track before the gap widens? Let’s talk about some practical strategies that have worked for many of us in the classroom, lab, and simulation space.
Spot the Subtle Signs Early
Grades are important, but they’re often a lagging indicator. Struggles usually show up first in other ways—missed deadlines, changes in behavior, or avoidance of skills practice. In lab, you might notice a student who consistently hangs back rather than stepping up for hands-on activities. During simulation, maybe they freeze when decision-making is required or rely too heavily on their peers.
Other red flags can include:
- Disorganization: Missing equipment, unprepared for the lab, or confusion about assignments.
- Emotional cues: Anxiety, frustration, or withdrawal during group activities.
- Performance inconsistency: Doing well in theory but struggling to apply knowledge in clinical settings.
Trust your educator’s intuition. Those gut feelings are often your first data point.
Create a Culture of Approachability
Students who are struggling often don’t ask for help until they’re in crisis mode. That’s why the tone you set from the beginning of the semester is critical. When students see you as approachable, they’re more likely to share when something’s not clicking.
Here are a few small but powerful ways to build that trust:
- Share your own learning challenges. Let them know nursing school was hard for you, too. Vulnerability breeds connection.
- Normalize help-seeking. Talk about tutoring, open lab time, or academic coaching as part of being a successful nursing student—not a remedial one.
- Check in intentionally. A quick “How are you doing with this concept?” during lab can open the door to bigger conversations.
Use Simulation as an Early Diagnostic Tool
Simulation isn’t just for skill validation—it’s one of our best tools for identifying who’s struggling. When students are immersed in a safe but realistic scenario, their critical thinking (or lack of it) becomes visible.
Pay attention to patterns: who hesitates, who overrelies on others, who struggles with prioritization. Simulation debriefings can reveal gaps in clinical reasoning and confidence that written exams never expose. Document those patterns early and use them to guide targeted interventions.
Intervene with Purpose
Once you’ve identified a student as “at risk,” the key is to act quickly and consistently. Here are a few proven interventions:
- Targeted skill remediation: Offer focused practice sessions with low student-to-instructor ratios. Keep it positive and feedback-driven.
- Peer mentoring: Pair struggling students with peers who model confidence and competence. Peer teaching reinforces learning for both.
- Reflective journaling: Encourage students to analyze their performance after simulations or clinical days. This builds self-awareness and ownership of learning.
- Faculty coaching sessions: A 15-minute one-on-one can go a long way. Sometimes, students need permission to admit they’re lost before they can recover.
- Connect to campus resources: Academic success centers, counseling, and tutoring services can provide wraparound support that faculty alone can’t sustain.
Why Early Intervention Matters—Especially in Nursing
Nursing education isn’t just about academic success—it’s about preparing safe, competent practitioners. When a student struggles, the stakes are higher than in many other fields. A knowledge gap left unaddressed today could become a patient safety issue tomorrow.
Early intervention protects not only the student’s progress but also the integrity of the nursing profession. It reinforces the culture of accountability, compassion, and continuous improvement that we hope our graduates will carry into their practice.
And let’s be honest—it feels good to see a student turn things around. Watching someone move from uncertainty to confidence reminds us why we do what we do.
Final Thoughts
Identifying struggling students early isn’t about judgment—it’s about partnership. By being observant, approachable, and proactive, we can help our students build resilience before the struggle becomes failure. Every check-in, every extra lab session, every moment of encouragement can make the difference between giving up and pushing through.
