“Becoming a professional Nurse”: A qualitative exploration of simulation-based learning in shaping nursing students’ professional identity

Abstract

Background

Professional identity formation (PIF) is a transformative process through which nursing students internalize the values, behaviours, and responsibilities of their role. While simulation-based learning (SBL) is widely used to develop clinical skills, its role in fostering PIF for nursing students remains underexplored. The development of a strong professional identity is a critical aspect of nursing education, as it shapes how students perceive their roles, responsibilities, and ethical obligations within healthcare. PIF in nursing encompasses the integration of ethical competence, clinical decision-making skills, and socialization into the professional role.

Objective

The objective of this paper is to explore how simulation-based learning (SBL) influences nursing students’ PIF.

Setting

The study was conducted in the Faculty of Health Sciences at a higher education institution in Johannesburg.

Methods

This study adopted a qualitative research approach with an exploratory, descriptive, and contextual design. Using purposive sampling, the study recruited two key participant groups: nurse educators with expertise in simulation-based learning and nursing students engaged in SBL at a selected higher education institution. Data were gathered through comprehensive individual interviews conducted virtually. Giorgi’s thematic analysis framework was employed to analyse the interview data systematically.

Findings

This study revealed that simulation-based learning (SBL) plays a crucial role in shaping nursing students’ professional identity by providing authentic opportunities for role internalization, values socialization, and confidence building. Participants reported that simulations allowed them to “try on” the nurse role in a safe environment, with many experiencing pivotal moments when they first felt like “real nurses” in simulation scenarios.

Conclusion

This study highlights the transformative potential of simulation-based learning (SBL) in fostering professional identity development among student nurses. In realistic clinical scenarios, SBL serves as a dynamic platform for student nurses to strengthen their professional identity, allowing them to “practice” being nurses while grappling with real-world ethical tensions and internalizing the values, responsibilities, and moral agency of the profession.

Contribution

The study’s findings demonstrate that SBL serves as a powerful pedagogical strategy for cultivating professional identity among student nurses.