ObjectiveThe purpose was to analyse the effectiveness of high-fidelity patient simulation (HFPS) based on life-threatening clinical condition scenarios on undergraduate and postgraduate nursing students’ learning outcomes.DesignA systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted based on the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions and its reporting was checked against the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist.Data sourcesPubMed, Scopus, CINAHL with Full Text, Wiley Online Library and Web of Science were searched until July 2017. Author contact, reference and citation lists were checked to obtain additional references.Study selectionTo be included, available full-texts had to be published in English, French, Spanish or Italian and (a) involved undergraduate or postgraduate nursing students performing HFPS based on life-threatening clinical condition scenarios, (b) contained control groups not tested on the HFPS before the intervention, (c) contained data measuring learning outcomes such as performance, knowledge, self-confidence, self-efficacy or satisfaction measured just after the simulation session and (d) reported data for meta-analytic synthesis.Review methodThree independent raters screened the retrieved studies using a coding protocol to extract data in accordance with inclusion criteria.Synthesis methodFor each study, outcome data were synthesised using meta-analytic procedures based on random-effect model and computing effect sizes by Cohen’s d with a 95% CI.ResultsThirty-three studies were included. HFPS sessions showed significantly larger effects sizes for knowledge (d=0.49, 95% CI [0.17 to 0.81]) and performance (d=0.50, 95% CI [0.19 to 0.81]) when compared with any other teaching method. Significant heterogeneity among studies was detected.ConclusionsCompared with other teaching methods, HFPS revealed higher effects sizes on nursing students’ knowledge and performance. Further studies are required to explore its effectiveness in improving nursing students’ competence and patient outcomes.

The study aims were to define the psychometric properties of the Albanian Jefferson Scale of Empathy–Health Professional Students’ version, compare empathy levels among Albanian Health Professional students, and explore any relationship among students’ characteristics and their empathy levels. To achieve these aims, a comparative cross-sectional study was conducted. A preliminary exploratory factor analysis was conducted to determine the factor structure of the scale, while group comparisons of empathy scores were examined using t-test and ANOVA F-test. A total of 1,240 students were enrolled in the study. Psychometric properties of the scale were confirmed. Midwifery, physiotherapy, and female students showed higher levels of empathy than other groups. Similarly, third-year students showed higher empathy than first- and second-year students. Monitoring empathy levels is fundamental to the adoption of useful educational strategies by faculties to improve empathy skills in Health Professional students and guarantee better care of patients, especially those in need of psychological support.

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