The Effect of High Fidelity Simulation Training on Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills in Nursing Students in Turkey

Background: Nursing education is an education system that encompasses cognitive, affective, and psychomotor learning fields. The main goal in this system is to graduate nurses who can integrate theory and application, who think critically in the learning process, and who have gained effective problem solving skills. For this reason, it is important to use novel approaches that improve occupational skill in nursing education. Objectives: The study was performed in order to determine the effect of the high-fidelity simulation method on the critical thinking and problem solving skills of nursing students. Methods: The study used a randomized, controlled, pre-test post-test experimental research model, and enrolled 60 students. Data was collected using a student identification form, an occupational skill application checklist, the California critical thinking inclination scale and the problem solving inventory. Mean values, standard deviations, the Student t-test, the paired sample t-test and the chi-squared test were used in data evaluation. Results: In comparisons within and among groups between the pre-test and post-test applications no statistically significant differences were found between the California critical thinking inclination scale and Problem Solving Inventory mean scores. Conclusions: In the study, the simulation method was found not to be superior in improving the problem solving and critical thinking abilities of students compared to the traditional education method. Performing similar studies with a larger sample size comparing different education methods is recommended.