Effects of a Clinical Simulation Course about Basic Life Support on Undergraduate Nursing Students' Learning

Evaluating CPR training: simulation vs. webinars for Iranian emergency medical technicians during COVID-19

INTRODUCTION

The high prevalence of COVID-19 and the necessity for social distancing have impacted medical training. On the one hand, the high mortality rate following the disease led the American Heart Association (AHA) to issue guidelines in October 2020 for performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation on patients diagnosed or suspected of having COVID-19. Various methods exist for teaching these guidelines. However, the use of many of these methods is greatly challenged due to the high risk of disease transmission. Moreover, the published guidelines emphasize protection against COVID-19 infection. The present study aims to compare the impact of two educational methods, educational webinars and simulations, on the competence of performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation during the COVID-19 epidemic.

METHODS

This semi-experimental study was conducted on 70 emergency medical technicians. A pre-test was administered to all participants, and then they were randomly assigned into two groups: an educational webinar group (35 people) and a simulation group (35 people). The educational webinar group received online training using Adobe Connect software version 2.6.9, while the simulation group received in-person training using a manikin simulator. The competence of performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation during the COVID-19 epidemic was compared between the two groups immediately after the training and again two months later. Data collection instruments utilized in this research included a demographic questionnaire and a competency questionnaire in performing CPR during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data were analyzed using SPSS software version 19 and statistical tests for comparison.

RESULTS

The results indicated that in both the educational webinar and simulation groups, the average competence score for performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at the three stages under investigation showed significant differences (p < 0.001). Additionally, in both groups under study, the average competence score for performing CPR immediately and two months after training was significantly higher compared to before the training (p < 0.001); however, two months after training, it was significantly lower compared to immediately after the training (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the results obtained from the current research, both educational methods (educational webinar and simulation) had a significant effect on the competence of performing CPR during the COVID-19 epidemic and were equally effective. Moreover, the recall test results (two months later) showed a decrease in the competence of performing CPR during the COVID-19 epidemic in both training methods (webinar and simulation), indicating the need for periodic CPR training.

A comparison between the effects of simulation of basic CPR training and workshops on firefighters' knowledge and skills: experimental study

BACKGROUND

One of the most common causes of death worldwide is cardiopulmonary arrest. Firefighters are among the first responders at the scenes of accidents and can, therefore, play a key part in performing basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for victims who need it. The present study was conducted to compare the effects of simulation training against workshops on the CPR knowledge and skills of firefighters in the south of Iran.

METHODS

This experimental (Interventional) study was conducted on 60 firefighters of south of Fars province, Iran. The study was undertaken from March to July 2023. Through random allocation, the participants were divided into two groups: simulation-based training (30 members) and traditional workshop training (30 members). The participants' CPR knowledge and practical skills were measured before, immediately after, and three months after intervention.

RESULTS

The findings of the study revealed a statistically significant difference between the pretest and posttest CPR knowledge and skill mean scores of the simulation groups as compared to the workshop group (p < 0.001). As measured three months after the intervention, the firefighters' knowledge and skill mean scores were still significantly different from their pretest mean scores (p < 0.001); however, they had declined, which can be attributed to the fact that the study population did not frequently exercise CPR.

CONCLUSION

Based on the findings of the study, even though both methods of education were effective on enhancing the firefighters' CPR knowledge and skill, simulation training had a far greater impact than training in workshops. In view of the decline in the participants' knowledge and skill scores over time, it is recommended that short simulation training courses on CPR should be repeated on a regular basis.

Effectiveness of an educational intervention on first-year nursing students' knowledge and confidence to perform basic life support: a quasi-experimental study

BACKGROUND

Knowing how to respond effectively to an acutely deteriorating patient is a National Safety and Quality Health Service Standard and a requirement for nurse registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulatory Authority. Literature has highlighted that a lack of knowledge, skills and confidence in healthcare professionals to perform basic life support may be a contributing factor to the high mortality and morbidity rates associated with cardiac arrest in the hospital setting.

AIM

To explore first-year nursing students' knowledge and confidence to perform basic life support according to the Australian Resuscitation Council guidelines before and after watching an online video lecture.

METHOD

A quantitative quasi-experimental pre- and post-test design to measure changes, if any, in first-year nursing students' knowledge and confidence to perform basic life support at an Australian university in 2021.

FINDINGS

The collected data were analysed using Stata, a statistical software for data sciences. Participants' mean knowledge score increased from 9.3 (SD: 2.5) in the pre-test to 13.9 (SD: 3) (p < 0.001) in the post-test (maximum possible score: 19). Participants' mean confidence score increased from 17.0 (SD: 6.3) in the pre-test to 24.5 (SD: 4.4) (p < 0.001) in the post-test (maximum possible score: 30; p < 0.001).

DISCUSSION

The most significant improvement in knowledge was observed in chest compression rate, breathing/ ventilation and checking patient response. The study found that the video lecture is an effective teaching method to increase students' confidence to perform basic life support.

CONCLUSION

An online video-recorded lecture can increase undergraduate student nurses' knowledge and confidence to perform basic life support. This is one educational strategy that universities can use to improve students' knowledge and confidence to perform this essential skill for practice.

Learning practical nursing skills in simulation centers - A narrative review

Background

Practical skills are complex procedures integrating communication and caring, as well as technical and manual aspects. Simulation at a simulation/skills center offers a wide range of learning activities and aims to imitate patient situations.

Objectives

To investigate the international research literature on practical skills learning in simulation/skills centers in nursing education. Research questions: 1. What are the range and type of practical skills studied? 2. What learning activities are focused on in the studies included in the review? 3. What are the learning outcomes and how are they assessed?

Design

Narrative review.

Methods

We searched electronically and included studies from Medline Ovid, CINAHL, Eric, Embase, Academic Search Premiere, and Cochrane. Unique indexing terms and search strategies were developed for each database. The criteria for inclusion were bachelor nursing students as the study population and practical nursing skills learning in simulation/skills centers. We used Rayyan QCRIt for the initial screening and the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool for quality assessment. We used a narrative approach to synthesize the diverse range of studies.

Findings

One hundred and twenty-one studies from 26 countries published between January 2013 and March 2022 were included. The amount of quantitative research was overwhelming (n = 108). A total of 50 different practical skills were represented. The studies focused on which learning modalities resulted in the best learning outcomes. Only 8.5% (n = 7) of the included studies concerned students' learning processes. Skill performance (n = 101), knowledge (n = 57), confidence (n = 34), and satisfaction (n = 32) were the main learning outcomes measured.

Discussion

The quality assessment indicated that 10 of the studies achieved 100% on the mixed method appraisal tool criteria. In many of the studies with quasi-experimental and randomized controlled trial designs, the intervention group received some form of educational treatment while the control group received no treatment. The choice of no treatment for the control group in pedagogical research seems to disregard the inherent purpose and effect of teaching and learning.

Conclusion

Heterogeneity in the use of learning modalities and measuring instruments precludes the possibility of building on other research. Technical skills were the preferred choice of skill, while skills that involved a fair measure of communication and collaboration were only sparingly studied. Students' learning processes were barely touched on in the included studies. More focus should be placed on this area in further research, since the choice of learning modalities may affect the students' learning processes in significant ways.

Correlations and predictors of nursing simulation among Saudi students

BACKGROUND

In middle eastern countries, most nursing colleges use simulation-based learning activities. However, Saudi nursing students' correlators and predictors for simulation learning have been underreported.

AIM

This study investigated the variables that correlate to and predict Saudi nursing students' simulation learning competencies.

METHODS

A descriptive cross-sectional design guided this study's understanding of simulation learning among nursing students (n = 461). We used three National League of Nursing instruments to collect data: the 13-item student satisfaction and self-confidence in learning scale (SCLS), 20-item simulation design scale (SDS), and 16-item educational practices questionnaire (EPQ). We applied analysis of variance, t tests, χ ² tests, and linear regression to analyze the data.

RESULTS

The SCLS and EPQ revealed significant differences in the participants' year level, gender, fidelity of simulation experience, number of nursing courses with simulation, and grade point average (GPA). Only GPA was insignificant in SDS. The number of nursing courses with simulations and GPA were significant predictors of the three instruments. Finally, year level and gender were important predictors of SDS and SCLS, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our findings explain Saudi students' experiences of simulations in nursing education. Simulation is an important pedagogical approach that enhances students' achievements when implemented in nursing schools.