Abstract
Background: Many instructional classrooms now exist in the online environment, where it is difficult to integrate experiential teaching strategies. Autopsy-based education has been shown to be a valuable teaching tool for pathophysiology in a medical school curriculum.
Problem: There is a gap in the literature about the use of an autopsy observation in nurse practitioner (NP) education.
Approach: The purpose of this project was to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of an autopsy experience for NP students in an online advanced pathophysiology course.
Outcomes: Based on a review of course evaluations and reflective essays, the majority of students found this to be a valuable learning experience. The main barrier was locating a facility and scheduling the autopsy observation.
Conclusion: The benefits outweigh the barriers to providing experiential learning with an autopsy observation in an online pathophysiology course. As such, it should be considered in similar course offerings.