Impact of a standardized patient simulation on undergraduate nursing student knowledge and perceived competency of the care of a patient diagnosed with schizophrenia

The Effects of Low-Fidelity Simulation on Students' Perceived Abilities to Build Therapeutic Relationships

BACKGROUND

The combination of nursing student anxiety toward patients with mental health conditions, along with their unpreparedness for exercising active listening, empathy, and self-awareness in clinical situations, creates a barrier to achieving therapeutic nurse- patient relationships.

METHOD

A quantitative quasiexperimental study with a one-group pretest-posttest design was used to determine whether a low-fidelity communication simulation laboratory would decrease nursing students' perceived anxiety levels toward mental health patients and increase students' perceived empathy, self-awareness, and active listening levels.

RESULTS

After completing the communication simulation laboratory, students' anxiety decreased significantly (p < .001) and active listening increased significantly (p < .001); empathy and self-awareness levels were relatively unchanged.

CONCLUSION

Using a communication simulation laboratory effectively decreased nursing students' perceived anxiety levels toward patients and improved their perceived active listening skills. The findings of the study support the use of low-fidelity simulations to prepare students for psychiatric nursing clinical practice. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(10):575-579.].

Efficacy Testing of a Multi-Access Metaverse-Based Early Onset Schizophrenia Nursing Simulation Program: A Quasi-Experimental Study

This study investigated the effects of a multi-access, metaverse-based early onset schizophrenia nursing simulation program based on Raskin and Rogers' person-centered therapy. The program's effectiveness was tested using a nonequivalent control group pre-test/post-test design. A quasi-experimental simulation study with both pre- and post-test designs was adopted. The experimental group (n = 29) used the simulation program, whereas the control group (n = 29) received only an online lecture on schizophrenia nursing. Changes in scores among experimental and control groups were compared using independent t-tests and analyses of covariance with PASW SPSS-WIN 27.0. Post-intervention, the knowledge regarding patients with early onset schizophrenia, critical thinking ability, and the ability to facilitate communication increased significantly in the experimental group compared with the control group. The nursing simulation program for children with early onset schizophrenia using a metaverse improved nursing students' knowledge, critical thinking ability, and ability to facilitate communication. This training method should be adapted without spatiotemporal constraints by partially supplementing clinical and simulation-based practice. In clinical nursing training, metaverse technical limitations should be identified, and training topics should be selected. Employing EduTech in a metaverse environment can provide clinical education to nurses in psychiatric wards and improve therapeutic communication with their psychiatric patients.

Effect of Standardized Patient Simulation on Nursing Students' Attitudes Toward Psychiatric Nursing and Patients With Mental Health Problems

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate changes in attitudes toward psychiatric nursing and mental health problems in a sample of nursing students after exposure to high-fidelity standardized patient (SP) simulation scenarios. This study used a quasi-experimental, single-group pre-/post-survey approach. Immediately before and after exposure to SP simulation scenarios, undergraduate nursing students completed Attitudes to Mental Illness (AMI) and the Attitudes to Psychiatry (ATP) surveys. There were significant improvements in the following ATP domains: psychiatric career choice and psychiatric teaching (p = 0.046 and 0.007, respectively). There were no significant changes in the AMI survey, but items related to social stigma improved following the simulation. Findings of this study suggest a potential benefit of SP simulation on nursing students in developing their attitudes toward psychiatry and mental health problems. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 59(8), 15-21.].

Development of student simulated patient training and evaluation indicators in a high-fidelity nursing simulation: a Delphi consensus study†

Objective

This study is aimed to develop student simulated patient (SSP) training content and evaluation indicators, and further explores their validity and reliabilities.

Methods

Delphi consultations with 20 nursing experts were conducted. The weights of indicators were calculated through the analytic hierarchy process. SSP training was conducted with a high-fidelity nursing simulation.

Results

The expert positive coefficients were 0.952 in the first round consultation and 1.00 in the second round consultation. The expert authority coefficient was reported as 0.87. The training included role and responsibility of simulated patient (SP), script interpretation, plot performance, and training for a rater, with a total of 17 indicators. SSP evaluation consisted of disease knowledge, role portrayal, and performance fidelity and since being a rater, it consists of 20 indicators in total. The coordination coefficients of two rounds of consultation ranged from 0.530 to 0.918. The content validity of SSP evaluation indicators was 0.95. The inter-rater reliability was reported as 0.866, and the internal consistency established using Cronbach’s α was 0.727.

Conclusions

Students as SPs should have first-hand knowledge and experience within the simulated scenarios. SSP training content and evaluation indicators were determined through the Delphi consensus combined with analytic hierarchy process. The evaluation indicators were valid and reliable, and provided the objective and quantifiable measurements for SSP training in nursing.

Using Simulation to Prepare Students for Medical Mission Trips

ABSTRACT

Simulation is a valuable tool in nursing education, including during preparation for students going on medical mission trips. Faculty assessed the learning and management of expectations of undergraduate nursing students who participated in a simulation prior to an international medical mission experience. Through student focus groups postsimulation and posttrip, faculty discovered three learning themes and student recommendations for future simulation use.

Impact of a Standardized Patient Simulation on Behavioral Health Nurse Resident Confidence and Satisfaction in Learning

The transition from student nurse to nurse graduate can be overwhelming. Although nurse residency programs ease this transition, standardized patient (SP) simulations supplementing these programs are underutilized. An SP simulation series was created and imbedded into a behavioral health nurse residency program. Nurse residents were satisfied with the learning experience and gained self-confidence, which was sustained over 30 days. Staff development educators should consider supplementing a nurse residency program with an SP simulation to hone behavioral health clinical skill application.

The Effect of a Simulated Fire Disaster Psychological First Aid Training Program on the Self-efficacy, Competence, and Knowledge of Mental Health Practitioners

OBJECTIVE

This study developed a simulation program using standardized patients for the training of mental health practitioners in psychological first aid and evaluated its effect on learners' self-efficacy and psychological first aid performance competence and knowledge. The simulation used in this program was of a fire disaster.

METHODS

Thirty participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group, a comparison group, and a control group. The experimental group participated in simulation training after attending a two-hour psychological first aid lecture. The comparison group was given only the two-hour lecture and the control group was given a psychological first aid handout to study individually. The results of pre- and post-intervention questionnaires were then statistically analyzed.

RESULTS

The participants' self-efficacy, performance competency, and knowledge improved in all groups, and there were some statistically significant differences between the three groups. The experimental group showed a greater improvement in self-efficacy and performance than the other groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The psychological first aid simulation training program was effective in improving three qualities of mental health practitioners: self-efficacy, performance competency, and knowledge. Further research is required for the development of various learning scenarios for iterative psychological first aid education.

The Effect of Interactive Educational Workshops With or Without Standardized Patients on the Clinical Skills of Midwifery Students in Providing Sexual Health Counseling

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Insufficient skills among health personnel, including midwives, can lead to failure in evaluating and providing sexual health counseling services to clients. Thus, the purpose of this study was to compare the effect of 2 interactive educational workshops with or without standardized patients (SPs) on midwifery students' clinical skills in providing sexual health counseling at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran, in 2014 to 2015.

RESEARCH METHODS

In this randomized controlled trial, 62 midwifery students were selected through convenient sampling method and then randomly divided into 2 groups who received 1 of 2 interactive educational workshops, with or without SPs in 10-hour educational programs. The students' skills in providing sexual health counseling were evaluated before and 2 weeks after the education through an Objective Structured Clinical Examination composed of 5 stations using validated checklists. The data were then analyzed using the SPSS Software (Version 16) through descriptive statistics as well as independent t test, paired t test, Mann-Whitney U, χ, and Fisher exact tests. The level of significance was considered by P < 0.05.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference between the mean scores of students' clinical skills in providing sexual health counseling services in the group educated with or without SPs (22.4 ± 7.0 and 23.0 ± 9.4, P = 0.77). However, 2 weeks after the interventions, the mean scores were 75.8 ± 11.2 and 47.0 ± 8.9, respectively, meaning a significant difference between the study groups (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Although both teaching methods could promote clinical skills among the midwifery students, the effect of interactive workshop with SPs was much significantly stronger.