The Impact of Simulation-Based Learning on Undergraduate Nursing Students’ Satisfaction and Self-Confidence at the Sultan Qaboos University in Oman

Azza Al-Hajri

doi:10.7176/jep/12-9-11

Abstract

Simulation-based learning has been implemented in nursing education to help students experience the real world of nursing, increase their self-confidence, and allow them to practice safely. Through simulation practice, students can be exposed to different patient care situations without waiting for opportunities to arise at their clinical placement. This study aims to explore students’ satisfaction and self-confidence as learning outcomes associated with the simulation experience through the lens of the Jeffries theoretical framework. A descriptive correlation study was conducted from October to December 2020 at the College of Nursing in Sultan Qaboos University in Oman. A convenience sample of 52 nursing students in their fourth and fifth academic year were recruited for the study. Student satisfaction and self-confidence in learning instrument was adopted from the National League for Nursing (NLN, 2006). The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 was used to analyze the data. Overall, the respondents from both academic years were satisfied with simulation practice as a learning method, and students’ self-confidence was found to improve by learning through simulation practice. No significant relationship was found between students’ satisfaction and demographic data, including age and gender. Students’ self-confidence was found to have a significant relationship with students’ age only. The results of this study indicate that simulation-based learning is an effective method in nursing education. Keywords: simulation-based learning, undergraduate nursing students, simulation impact DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-9-11 Publication date: March 31 st 2021

Highlights

Nursing education faces barriers that make it difficult to bridge theory and practice
Evidence shows that simulation-based education can be used as an effective method to teach nursing students medication calculations, so students can repeatedly practice before going to their clinical placement, minimizing medication errors (Kelly et al, 2016; Lee et al, 2018; Terzioğlu et al, 2016; Zahara-Such, 2013)
The total number of undergraduate nursing students who participated in the study was (N = 52), among whom 17 were males and 32 were females studying in their fourth and fifth academic years

Summary

Introduction

Nursing education faces barriers that make it difficult to bridge theory and practice. As the main component in nursing education, clinical practice allows students to develop their skills and apply their knowledge in real-life situations (Lee et al, 2018). Gore and Thomson (2016) emphasize the importance of the educator’s role in creating various simulation training scenarios for nurses during their undergraduate education and after they have obtained licensure. They assert that this will help expose students to different situations of patient care; they do not have to wait for the opportunities to arise at their clinical placement. Having nurses who are equipped with the knowledge and skills to provide safe and competent care is the ultimate goal of nurse educators to improve the quality of health services

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Conclusion