High-Fidelity Patient Simulation Increases Saudi Dietetics Students' Self-efficacy in Applying the Nutrition Care Process

Abstract

In this repeated-measures pre/postintervention study, we evaluated the effect of high-fidelity patient simulation-based learning (HPSL) on dietetics students' self-efficacy in applying the nutrition care process. Furthermore, we assessed their perceptions, attitudes, satisfaction, and self-confidence toward HPSL. Forty-one Saudi dietetics undergraduates participated in an HPSL exercise involving a newly diagnosed diabetic ketoacidosis case. We found that the students' self-efficacy score in applying the nutrition care process significantly increased (P = .01) following the intervention, from 3.0 (interquartile range [IQR] = 2.4-3.2) to 3.2 (IQR = 2.8-3.5), and participants reported overall positive attitudes toward HPSL, including enhanced perceived benefits to communication skills.