The Impact of Standardized Patients on First-Year Nursing Students’ Communication Skills

Abstract

BackgroundTherapeutic communication is essential for nurses to foster rapport with patients and promote safe patient care. Nursing students frequently identify that patient communication is challenging. Limited evidence exists related to simulation with standardized patients focused on therapeutic communication outside of psychiatric and mental health settings in nursing education. This pilot study investigated the effect of therapeutic communication simulation with standardized patients on first-year baccalaureate nursing students’ therapeutic communication skill. MethodsOne-hundred thirty-two baccalaureate nursing students participated in this two-group quasi-experimental pilot study. Members of the control group participated in standard learning activities related to therapeutic communication, while members of the experimental group also engaged in a therapeutic communication simulation-based experience with standardized patients. ResultsThe experimental group had significantly higher therapeutic communication skill than the control group. ConclusionSimulation with standardized patients supports therapeutic communication skill development. More research is needed to understand the impact of simulation with standardized patients on nursing students’ outcomes related to therapeutic communication outside of psychiatric and mental health nursing, including therapeutic communication knowledge and transfer of skill.