The Effect of Using Standardized Patients in Psychiatric Nursing Practical Training for Nursing College Students

Abstract

Purpose: This study was done to examine the effects of using standardized patients in psychiatric nursing practical training for nursing college students. Methods: This research design was a quasi-experimental pre-and- post-test control and experimental group methodological comparison study. Forty-four (Exp.=23, Cont.=21) nursing college students in G city participated in the study. The experimental group received psychiatric nursing practical training using standardized patients, and the control group received traditional practice. Data were collected between October 1 and 15. 2011 through self-report structured questionnaires and were analyzed with the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, x 2 -test, Fisher's exact test, and t-test using the SPSS/WIN 17.0 program. Results: After the treatment, there were significant differences in the level of motivation of transfer (t=1.71, p=.047), and learning self-efficacy (t=4.70, p<.001) between the experimental and control groups. The mean score per item for learning satisfaction was 4.28. Conclusion: The above findings indicate that psychiatric nursing practical training using standardized patients is a useful method for practical ability. Therefore, enhancement of performance ability related to practice can be done by developing psychiatric nursing practical training programs with various cases and content.