OBJECTIVES: to highlight the effect of using clinical simulation in the training of undergraduate nursing students for the development of skills in cardiovascular health assessment. METHODS: a systematic review was conducted in the PubMed/MEDLINE, LILACS, Scopus, EBSCO, Web of Science, and Science Direct databases from August to September 2023. Of the 685 articles identified, 6 were selected, consisting of 4 experimental studies and 2 quasi-experimental studies, all of good methodological quality according to the Joanna Briggs Institute. RESULTS: clinical simulation increased nursing students' levels of knowledge and confidence. Most studies indicated that simulated practices improve learning compared to traditional methodologies. CONCLUSIONS: clinical simulation requires more robust methodological designs, and more multicenter clinical trials on cardiovascular assessment in nursing need to be published.