In the year 2020, COVID-19 caused dramatic changes in nursing education. Traditional educational methods were rapidly replaced with distance learning and virtual simulation. This study examined the impact of these changes on undergraduate education and students' perceptions of clinical competence, along with use of virtual simulation in light of social distancing. The study design was cross-sectional and comparative. Data were obtained from undergraduate nursing students at a public university in the Southeast who have completed the Clinical Competence Questionnaire (CCQ) and the Simulation Effectiveness Tool-Modified (SET). Data were analyzed with SPSS® Version 26. The SET was completed by 57 students with a mean of 2.31 (SD 0.47) and CCQ mean of 4.4 (SD 0.35). Scores were higher for senior-level students and for those who experienced some traditional learning. Scores on the SET and CCQ were positively correlated. Findings revealed that the students perceived a sense of clinical competence through virtual simulation.