Scaffold Competence with the Intuitive Editor — A Novice to Expert Approach

In her first UbiSim VR simulation as a fundamentals student, Samantha spots the fever and rapid heart rate but hesitates, frozen by uncertainty. With guidance from her facilitator and the freedom to try different actions and make mistakes in VR, she learns how to complete a basic assessment and communicate her findings. Samantha begins to slowly connect the dots between symptoms and action.

Eighteen months later, as a senior student preparing for the NCLEX, Samantha faces a more complex UbiSim sepsis scenario. This time, she recognizes the patient’s deterioration without needing frequent prompts. She initiates fluid resuscitation and escalates care, applying clinical judgment built through more challenging, decision-based VR practice.

Finally, in a high-acuity UbiSim simulation during her new graduate residency, Samantha acts swiftly and independently. She leads a full team through sepsis management—ordering labs, starting treatment, coordinating care—just as she would at a real bedside.

Her transformation from hesitant novice nursing student to confident nurse wasn’t by chance. It was the result of a deliberate, scaffolded approach made possible with UbiSim’s Intuitive Editor. 

One Size Doesn’t Fit All in Nursing Education

In nursing education, students don’t all grow at the same pace, and they don’t all need the same kind of support. Early learners need structure and step-by-step guidance, while advanced students need realistic challenges that test their clinical judgment.

Patricia Benner’s From Novice to Expert theory reminds us that competence builds over time, through intentional, stage-appropriate experiences. Without the right scaffolding, students risk becoming overwhelmed or stagnant.

If Samantha had been thrown into complex clinical challenges too soon, without the right scaffolding, she could have lost confidence, faltered under pressure, or even left nursing altogether. If her learning stayed too basic for too long, she might have disengaged, missing the critical chance to build real-world clinical judgment. Without a deliberate, progressive path, Samantha could have felt overwhelmed at the bedside, unprepared for the high-stakes decisions that patient care demands.

That’s why nursing education must be intentionally designed to grow with the learner, and why educators need tools that make that progression possible. UbiSim’s no-code Intuitive Editor empowers educators to scaffold immersive virtual reality (VR) simulations, creating tailored learning experiences that meet students exactly where they are on their journey to competence.

Check out our blog: Nursing Simulation Decisions: Manikin Programming vs. VR Custom Scenarios.

Sepsis Recognition in Action

A single scenario, thoughtfully scaffolded, can support learners across multiple stages of their development. Here's how a sepsis recognition and management simulation can be customized to match each phase:

Level 1: Novice (Foundations of Nursing Students)

• Example: Samuel Mendoza (Suspected Sepsis) is a simple, structured case focused on recognizing early signs of sepsis (fever, tachycardia, hypotension) that are easily identifiable to build basic clinical awareness in a low-pressure environment.

Level 2: Advanced Beginner (NCLEX Preparation)

• Example: Ana Mendes (Unwitnessed Fall: Observation) is a more complex patient case in which learners must recognize more subtle clinical deterioration and initiate early interventions, strengthening critical thinking, prioritization, and decision-making under pressure.

Level 3: Competent (New Graduate Nurse Residency)

• Example: Emma Albright (Febrile Infant) is a dynamic, real-world scenario that challenges learners to interpret clinical data and determine the appropriateness of prescribed treatments. This high-acuity scenario sharpens judgment, prioritization, and advocacy skills—preparing new graduate nurses to lead care in complex, real-world situations.

Scaffolded Learning. Real-World Readiness.

Through scaffolded, immersive simulations powered by UbiSim’s Intuitive Editor, learners move confidently from recognition to rapid action—from hesitant novice to real-world-ready nurse.

With UbiSim, educators can create customized, progressive experiences that meet students exactly where they are. Because at UbiSim, where nursing practice gets real, we believe learning isn’t just about passing exams — it’s about preparing nurses to lead, to advocate, and to deliver high-quality, compassionate care from day one.

Discover our webinar recording: 3 Easy Ways to Use UbiSim’s Intuitive Editor Like a Sim Expert (Even if You’re Not).