Content Analysis of Debriefing after Simulation-based Nursing Education on Respiratory Distress Syndrome in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore nursing students’ experiences of debriefing after simulation-based learning and to obtain fundamental data to support the development of effective teaching strategies. Methods: Sixty-seven nursing students participated in this study from April to May, 2017. This was a descriptive study analyzing the content of students’ descriptions of structured questions in 3 stages (description, analysis, and application) based on recorded videos. Results: The description stage was classified into 3 categories for problem recognition, 4 categories for the nursing plan, and 6 categories for the nursing intervention. The analysis stage was classified into 6 categories for satisfactory practice, 3 categories for experience and 4 categories for what they learned through practice. The application stage was classified into 5 categories, that were to be mastered, and 6 categories, that were important to recognize. Conclusion: This study succeeded in charaterizing learners’ experiences of debriefing. During the debriefing, students watched recorded videos, and we found that self-evaluation through structured questionnaires could be a very effective way to strengthen students’ core competencies. Our content analysis of the debriefing is expected to contribute to the development of effective strategies in simulation-based education for students and nurses.