Comparative impact of active participation and observation in simulation-based emergency care education on knowledge, learning effectiveness, and satisfaction among undergraduate nursing students

Background

Due to limitations in space, time, and equipment availability, nursing students often have to alternate between active participation and observation in simulation-based education (SBE) scenarios, a practice whose effect on learning outcomes is not well-documented.

Aim

This study aimed to integrate SBE into a third-year emergency nursing course, focusing on the impact of different roles (active participation vs. observation) on students' emergency care knowledge, learning effectiveness, and post-simulation satisfaction.

Methods

In this prospective, mixed-methods study, students were divided into performer (n=67) and observer (n=67) roles for simulation exercises using high-fidelity manikins and standardized patients.

Results

The findings revealed a significant improvement in emergency care knowledge between pre-test and post-test scores (p<0.001) in both the performer and observer groups. However, no significant differences were observed between the two groups post-test (p=0.550). Moreover, the learning effectiveness (p=0.847) and satisfaction (p=0.513) were not significantly different between the two groups.

Conclusions

The results demonstrated that SBE was an effective method for improving students’ emergency care knowledge, with both active participants and observers benefiting similarly.