An evaluation of a course on the rational use of medication in nursing from the perspective of the students

Low-fidelity simulation vs. standardized patients in prevention and management of pressure injury education

AIM

This study aims to compare the impact of standardized patient and low-fidelity simulation methods on the success, satisfaction, and self-confidence levels of nursing students in prevention and management of pressure injury education.

METHODS

The study was designed as a randomized, controlled experimental study with pretest and posttest control groups. Eighty-one nursing students that met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to intervention (standardized patient; n = 40) and control (low-fidelity mannequin simulator; n = 41) groups. A descriptive characteristics form, the Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning Scale, and the Simulation Design Scale were used for data collection. Implementation skills and knowledge levels of the students were evaluated by using a skills control list and pretest and posttest measurements, respectively.

RESULTS

The posttest knowledge score of the students in the standardized patient group, which was measured after the simulation education, was higher (p < 0.05). We did not find any statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of the scores obtained from the Students Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning Scale and its subscales (p > 0.05). Compared to the low-fidelity mannequin group, the standardized patient group obtained higher scores from the Simulation Design Scale and its Objectives/Information subscale (p < 0.05). Regarding the skills needed in the implementation phases of pressure injury, the standardized patient group was more successful in terms of communication skills (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

If the simulation design is well-planned, the use of a standardized patient and a low-fidelity mannequin have similar impacts on student satisfaction and self-confidence. However, the success scores and communication skills of the students in the standardized patient group were higher.

The effect of using standardized patients in the Simulated Hospital Environment on first-year nursing students psychomotor skills learning

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of using standardized patients in the Simulated Hospital Environment on first-year nursing students' psychomotor skills.

METHODS

This semi-experimental study was carried out in the one-group pretest-posttest design. Students performed the psychomotor skills in the Non-Simulated Clinical Skill Laboratory and Simulated Hospital Environment. The skill performances of the students were evaluated with the Objective Structured Clinical Assessment form. At the same time, students' views on both environments were received.

RESULTS

Students' mean Objective Structured Clinical Assessment score in the Simulated Hospital Environment (69.42 ± 10.94) was significantly higher than their mean score in the Non-Simulated Clinical Skill Laboratory (57.07 ± 10.05) (p < 0.05). The differences in scores were particularly significant in the stages of meeting the patient, performing the procedure in accordance with the steps and ending the procedure. The majority of the students stated that they could not do some applications in the Non-Simulated Clinical Skill Laboratory in a similar way to the hospital clinic (85.9%), and they felt like they were in a real hospital clinic in the Simulated Hospital Environment (100%).

CONCLUSIONS

The results showed that students developed psychomotor skills more fully in a learning environment designed in a similar way to a real hospital clinic setting.

Effect of simulation-based teaching on nursing skill performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective

To summarize and produce aggregated evidence on the effect of simulation-based teaching on skill performance in the nursing profession. Simulation is an active learning strategy involving the use of various resources to assimilate the real situation. It enables learners to improve their skills and knowledge in a coordinated environment.

Methods

Systematic literature search of original research articles was carried out through Google Scholar, Medline, and Cochrane Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) databases. Studies conducted on simulation-based teaching and skill performance among nursing students or clinical nursing staff from 2010 to 2019, and published in the English language, were included in this study. Methodological quality was assessed by Joanna Briggs Institute, and the risk of bias was also assessed by Cochrane risk of bias and the risk of bias assessment tool for non-randomized studies (ROBINS-I) checklists.

Results

Initially, 638 titles were obtained from 3 sources, and 24 original studies with 2209 study participants were taken for the final analysis. Of the total studies, 14 (58.3%) used single group prep post design, 7 (29.1%) used high fidelity simulator (HFS), and 7 (29.1%) used a virtual simulator (VS). Twenty (83.3%) studies reported improved skill performance following simulation-based teaching. Simulation-based teaching improves skill performance among types of groups (single or double), study regions, high fidelity (HF), low fidelity (LF), and standard patient (SP) users. But the effect over virtual and medium fidelity simulators was not statistically significant. Overall, simulation-based teaching improves the skill performance score among the experimental group (d = 1.01, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.69–1.33], Z = 6.18, P < 0.01, 93.9%). Significant heterogeneity and publication bias were observed during the pooled analysis.

Conclusions

Simulation did improve skill performance among the intervention groups, but the conclusion is uncertain due to the significant heterogeneity. The large extent of difference among original research has necessitated the development of well-defined assessment methods for skills and standardized simulation set-up for proper assessment of their effects.

A Systematic Review of the Use of Standardized Patients as a Simulation Modality in Nursing Education

AIM

The objective of the study was to search, extract, appraise, and synthesize studies using standardized patients (SPs) in nursing academia to determine how this modality of simulation is being used.

BACKGROUND

SPs are a common simulation modality used in nursing education.

METHOD

This review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses. Five databases were searched as well as keywords to retrieve nonindexed citations for the period January 2011 to September 2016. The inclusion criteria included nurses, a simulated experience with SPs, and original research published in English.

RESULTS

Sixty-five studies were identified and analyzed.

CONCLUSION

More randomized controlled trials and studies with power analyses and validated measurement instruments are needed. Studies that compare SPs to high-fidelity simulators are also desired to determine optimal student learning outcomes and standardize best practices in simulation.

Effectiveness of the training material in drug-dose calculation skills

AIM

The aim of study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the training material based on low-level environmental fidelity simulation in drug-dose calculation skills in senior nursing students.

METHODS

A quasi-experimental design with one group. The sample included senior nursing students attending a nursing school in Turkey in the period December 2012-January 2013. Eighty-two senior nursing students were included in the sample. Data were obtained using a data collection form which was developed by the researchers. A paired-sample t-test was used to compare the pretest and post-test scores.

RESULTS

The difference between the mean pretest score and the mean post-test score was statistically significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that the training material based on low-level environmental fidelity simulation positively impacted accurate drug-dose calculation skills in senior nursing students.

Educational strategies aimed at improving student nurse's medication calculation skills: a review of the research literature

Medication administration is an important and essential nursing function with the potential for dangerous consequences if errors occur. Not only must nurses understand the use and outcomes of administering medications they must be able to calculate correct dosages. Medication administration and dosage calculation education occurs across the undergraduate program for student nurses. Research highlights inconsistencies in the approaches used by academics to enhance the student nurse's medication calculation abilities. The aim of this integrative review was to examine the literature available on effective education strategies for undergraduate student nurses on medication dosage calculations. A literature search of five health care databases: Sciencedirect, Cinahl, Pubmed, Proquest, Medline to identify journal articles between 1990 and 2012 was conducted. Research articles on medication calculation educational strategies were considered for inclusion in this review. The search yielded 266 papers of which 20 meet the inclusion criteria. A total of 5206 student nurse were included in the final review. The review revealed educational strategies fell into four types of strategies; traditional pedagogy, technology, psychomotor skills and blended learning. The results suggested student nurses showed some benefit from the different strategies; however more improvements could be made. More rigorous research into this area is needed.