5 Simulations to Teach Medication Administration to Nursing Students

In nursing education, hands-on experience is essential for building competence and confidence—especially when it comes to medication administration. Considering medication errors are the most common cause of patient injury, it is vital that nursing students understand how to give medications safely. Medication administration simulations allow students to practice critical nursing skills—from calculating dosages to assessing patient responses—without risking patient harm. 

These simulations play a pivotal role in preparing students for real-world responsibilities, emphasizing safe medication practices and minimizing med errors. With technology and teaching strategies constantly evolving, nursing educators now have a diverse array of simulation methods at their disposal. 

Here are five types of simulations you can use to enhance nursing med pass training.

1. Low-Fidelity Task Trainers

Low-fidelity task trainers are among the most accessible tools in a nursing educator's toolkit. These physical models—like injection pads, pill splitters, or mock medication carts—help students practice the basic nursing skills involved in medication administration. Although they lack interactive elements, task trainers are perfect for repetitive skill practice, such as drawing up medications into a syringe, practicing the “Rights” of medication administration, and administering injections.

These simulations are cost-effective and ideal for early learners who need to develop muscle memory and foundational confidence before transitioning to more complex scenarios. When combined with guided checklists and faculty observation, task trainers build attention to detail, which is key in preventing med errors.

2. Standardized Patients

Standardized patients (SPs) are trained actors who simulate real-life clinical scenarios, allowing nursing students to interact with “patients” in a realistic, but controlled setting. For medication administration simulations, SPs can be used to:

• Communicate symptoms or reactions to medications
• Ask clarifying questions about medications
• Demonstrate resistance or express concerns about taking medications

This approach improves both technical and soft skills. In addition to preparing and administering medications safely, students must also explain medication side effects, provide education, and secure informed consent—fostering communication skills and patient-centered care. SP-based simulations are particularly effective for enhancing patient-nurse communication during the med pass, where misunderstandings can sometimes lead to medication errors.

3. High-Fidelity Manikins

High-fidelity manikins offer realistic, computer-controlled patient simulations that mimic human responses—such as pupil reaction, heart rate, and even verbal feedback. These simulations are ideal for creating a variety of complex, acute-care scenarios, such as:

• Managing an allergic reaction or anaphylaxis after medication administration
• Identifying side effects or contraindications to medications
• Responding to a deteriorating patient following a med pass

These dynamic environments train students in safe medication practices under pressure. With the ability to simulate consequences of errors in real time, high-fidelity manikins help students learn from mistakes without putting real patients at risk. They also encourage teamwork, clinical judgment, and prompt reaction—skills critical to managing med errors in real settings.

4. Immersive Virtual Reality (VR)

Immersive VR simulations bring digital environments to life for nursing students. These simulations place students in a 3D clinical setting where they can perform med passes, engage with virtual patients, and make decisions based on evolving scenarios.

There are many benefits of using VR for medication administration training, including exposure to a wide variety of patient cases (and thus, medications), risk-free practice, and feedback on performance, with the opportunity to recognize and correct mistakes.

VR offers a scalable solution for training large student cohorts, making it an exciting complement to traditional methods of medication administration simulation.

UbiSim, a VR platform designed by nurses for nurse educators, offers multiple immersive VR scenarios for medication administration. In Medication Administration Orientation, students gain a general overview of the UbiSim VR clinical environment and can practice medication administration. In the Alzheimer’s Disease: Safe Medication Administration scenario, students conduct a med pass on a patient with Alzheimer’s Disease while also practicing therapeutic communication due to medication refusal.

5. Escape Rooms

Escape rooms are gamified simulation experiences that promote critical thinking, collaboration, and quick decision-making. In the context of medication administration, nursing students might be presented with a series of clinical clues or tasks they must solve under time constraints to “escape” the room. Examples of medication-related escape room challenges include:

• Identifying and correcting a wrong dosage based on a mock medication order
• Matching symptoms with adverse drug reactions
• Calculating correct IV drip rates under pressure

This form of med errors training is not only engaging, but highly effective in reinforcing learned concepts. It emphasizes teamwork, communication, and the ability to think critically—essential components of safe medication practices in real clinical settings.

Final Thoughts

Incorporating diverse medication administration simulation strategies into nursing education ensures that students are not only knowledgeable but also practice-ready. From basic skills using low-fidelity task trainers to immersive learning through VR simulation for nursing students, each method has unique strengths that contribute to mastering the nursing med pass.

By exposing students to realistic, challenging, and interactive scenarios, educators can significantly reduce the likelihood of med errors and promote a culture of safety and competence.