Nursing Student Perception of Different Simulation Methodologies Applied to Help First-Year Students Integrate Knowledge Acquired: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Standardized patient simulations are an effective method for acquiring skills and knowledge. The purpose of this study was to explore nursing students' perceptions of the learning methods used in clinical simulation.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted evaluating two different clinical simulations: 1) basic simulations, where the actor/patient was the teacher, the simulations were performed in pairs, and the rest of the students were present in the same classroom; and 2) simulation-based peer-assisted learning, where the actors/patients were third-year students, the simulations were performed individually, and the rest of the students watched them from another classroom via a video recording system.

Results

In terms of their perceptions, both types of simulation scored 4.4 out of 5 on the Student Perception of Clinical Simulation tool (SD ±0.7 and ±0.8, respectively). In addition, the results of the characteristics of each simulation are presented.

Conclusions

Basic simulations helped students to internalize theoretical knowledge and gain confidence. Peer-assisted learning based on simulations increased their self-confidence and ability to predict clinical changes in patients. As a result, they felt better prepared to care for real patients. The use of both simulation modalities is a flexible method that can be adapted to educational needs.