Effects of a mental health nursing simulation for general ward nurses: A pilot study

This study aimed to develop a mental health nursing simulation education programme for non-psychiatric nurses and verify its effects on mental health care competence, burden, and anxiety. To verify the effects of the simulation, we applied a non-equivalent control group pre-posttest research design. We developed a mental health nursing simulation using a standardized patient who presented moderate levels of anxiety and depressive mood during chemotherapy after mastectomy. The participants were nurses working at non-psychiatric wards of a general hospital in Seoul, Korea. Participants' mental health care competency scores increased by 80% in the experimental group and 15% in the control group from pre-test to posttest. Burden scores decreased by 42% in the experimental group and 4% in the control group from pre-test to posttest, and anxiety scores decreased by 77% in the experimental group and 24% in the control group. This study demonstrated the nursing simulation education programme's effectiveness as a complementary tool to improve mental health nursing care for non-psychiatric nurses.

Effects of a multifaceted neurological assessment educational program in nursing students: A randomized crossover study

AIM

This study aimed to verify the effects of a multifaceted neurological assessment educational program on neurological assessment-related knowledge, skills, communication ability and self-efficacy in nursing students.

BACKGROUND

Nurses should be equipped with optimal neurological assessment competency to ensure quality care for patients with neurological symptoms.

DESIGN

This study involved a waitlist control group with a randomized crossover design.

METHODS

Fourth-year nursing students were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 28) or a waitlist control group (n = 27). Pre- and post-intervention differences in neurological assessment knowledge, skills, communication ability and self-efficacy between the intervention and the waitlist control group were analyzed using generalized estimated equations.

RESULTS

The nursing students in the intervention group showed significantly improved knowledge, skills, communication ability and self-efficacy scores compared with those in the waitlist control group. Scores related to knowledge, skills and communication ability were maintained and self-efficacy scores had further increased at 2 weeks after the educational program in the intervention group.

CONCLUSIONS

Our multifaceted neurological assessment educational program is useful for improving nursing students' knowledge, skills, communication ability and self-efficacy.

Experience of nursing students with standardized patients in simulation-based learning: Q-methodology study

BACKGROUND

Standardized patients (SPs) boost self-confidence, improve problem solving, enhance critical thinking, and advance clinical judgment of nursing students.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine nursing students' experience with SPs in simulation-based learning.

DESIGN

Q-methodology was used.

SETTING

Department of nursing in Seoul, South Korea.

PARTICIPANTS

Fourth-year undergraduate nursing students (n = 47).

METHODS

A total of 47 fourth-year undergraduate nursing students ranked 42 Q statements about experiences with SPs into a normal distribution grid.

RESULTS

The following three viewpoints were obtained: 1) SPs are helpful for patient care (patient-centered view), 2) SPs roles are important for nursing student learning (SPs roles-centered view), and 3) SPs can promote competency of nursing students (student-centered view).

CONCLUSION

These results indicate that SPs may improve nursing students' confidence and nursing competency. Professors should reflect these three viewpoints in simulation-based learning to effectively engage SPs.

The effects of simulation-based learning using standardized patients in nursing students: A meta-analysis

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of simulation-based learning using standardized patients (SPs) on cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domain outcomes of learning in nursing students.

METHODS

MEDLINE via PubMed, Cochrane Library CENTRAL, EMBASE, CINAHL, and several Korean electronic databases (to June 2014) were searched. The RevMan 5.3 program of the Cochrane library was used for data analysis.

RESULTS

A meta-analysis was conducted of 18 controlled trials (4 randomized and 14 non-randomized designs), with a total of 1326 nursing students. Overall, simulation-based learning using SPs appeared to have beneficial effects on the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains of learning. In subgroup analysis, use of SPs showed significant effects on knowledge acquisition (d=0.38, p=.05, I(2)=42%), communication skill (d=1.86, p<.001, I(2)=15%), self-efficacy (d=0.61, p<.001, I(2)=6%), learning motivation (d=0.77, p<.001, I(2)=0%) and clinical competence (d=0.72, p<.001, I(2)=0%). Treatment effects on critical thinking (p=.75) and learning satisfaction (p=.43) were not significant.

CONCLUSION

The findings of the current study suggest that simulation-based learning using SPs might have a positive impact on self efficacy and learning motivation that affects knowledge and clinical skill acquisition. Therefore, these findings demonstrate that, if integrated appropriately, an SP educational approach can be used in academic settings as an active learning methodology.