Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections

PICO Question: Does (I) Simulation for (P) Nursing Students (O) Facilitate Learning better than (C)) no simulation?

Carson, P., & Harder, N. (2016). Simulation use within the classroom: Recommendations from the literature. Clinical Simulation in Nursing, 12(10) 429–437.

Highlights

Simulation use within the classroom involves students in the active participant and observer roles with assigned specific responsibilities and possible location changes. Fidelity used can vary to include use of standardized patients, high-fidelity human simulators (HFS), and static mannequins. Although still adhering to International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning Standards of Best Practices, use of simulation in the classroom requires additional scaling considerations for planning and resources to accommodate learning.

Abstract

Simulation as a teaching and learning strategy has been primarily used with small groups of learners in a laboratory setting. This article reviewed the use of simulation in a large didactic classroom setting. A summary of the findings include the student role, facilitator roles, participant locations, pre-briefing, evaluation of learning and debriefing. Challenges that the educator can anticipate with respect to facilitating large class simulations are discussed, as well as recommendations, are offered.

Heinrich, C., Pennington, R.R., Kuiper, R. (2011). Virtual case studies in the classroom improve student knowledge. Clinical Simulation In Nursing, 8(8) e353–e361.

Background

Multiple studies have validated that student satisfaction and student learning are enhanced with the use of high fidelity simulation. Virtual case scenarios may offer another way for simulation to be brought into the classroom to facilitate development of student clinical reasoning skills.

Method

A pre–post test design was used to assess content knowledge of senior nursing students after participating in MicroSim® patient scenarios in the classroom setting. MicroSim® provides simulation learning activities that can be used asynchronously or in group settings.

Results

Significant differences in content knowledge, measured by multilogical multiple choice questions, were found in both virtual simulation activities. Students indicated satisfaction with this active learning experience and desired increased use in class.

Conclusion

Content knowledge increased after use of MicroSim® in this study. Further research is needed to examine the use of classroom simulation as an active learning strategy.

Merriman, C. D., Stayt, L.C., & Ricketts, B. (2013). Comparing the effectiveness of clinical simulation versus didactic methods to teach undergraduate adult nursing students to recognize and assess the deteriorating patient. Clinical Simulation In Nursing, 10(3) e119–e127.

Background

Clinical simulation in undergraduate nursing programs is prevalent. It is unclear if skills taught by simulation are effectively transferred into clinical practice. This study evaluated the effectiveness of clinical simulation compared with classroom teaching in teaching the assessment of the deteriorating patient.

Methods

This study used a phase II, single, randomized, controlled trial with single-blinded assessments. Students were randomly assigned to either a control or an experimental group. Participants underwent pre and post intervention Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) with objective performance criteria. Participants completed self-reported competence and self-efficacy questionnaires both pre- and post-test OSCE and a student satisfaction form.

Results

The experimental group displayed a significantly better performance on post intervention OSCE. There was no correlation between self-reported confidence and self-efficacy and OSCE performance. Participants who received clinical simulation teaching were significantly more satisfied with their teaching experience.

Conclusion

The study suggests that clinical simulation is a more effective teaching strategy than classroom teaching for the development of the assessment skills of the deteriorating patient.

very high.”