Development, implementation, and evaluation of a mental rehearsal strategy to improve clinical performance and reduce stress: A mixed methods study

Stress management in crisis event simulations for enhancing performance

“…There was no significant difference in the performance scores between the MR-SP group and the MM group in terms of assessing and managing patient deterioration. The use of MR-based interventions in training has been shown to improve the performance of highly technical skills such as laparoscopic cholecystectomy and intramuscular injections, and more complex skills such as patient deterioration management Eldred-Evan, et al, 2013;Ignacio, et al, 2016). However, unlike previous studies, this study tried to compare the effects of the MR strategy and a conventional strategy in training to assess and manage patient deterioration using a randomised post-test.…”

“…The cohesiveness of the MR script included in the strategy results in an imagination effect. This imagination effect facilitates a better absorption of the learning material; in this instance, the assessment and management of patient deterioration (Ignacio et al 2016;Leahy & Sweller 2008). Hence, it appears that MR has more benefits for long-term memory storage (Ignacio et al 2016;Leahy & Sweller 2004, 2008.…”

“…It has been mostly used by surgeons to train for certain procedures, such as laparoscopic surgery, prior to engaging in simulations , by nurse trainees to practice intramuscular injection , and more recently, to assess and manage patient deterioration (Ignacio, et al, 2016). …”

“…The potential benefits of the MR strategy in terms of enhancing performance and reducing stress in assessing and managing patient deterioration have been previously demonstrated using pre-and post-test combined with focus group interviews (Ignacio, et al, 2016). The evidence, however, may be limited as the MR strategy was not compared to another strategy that has already been shown to be effective.…”

“…Using a computer-generated randomiser, 17 students were randomised to the intervention group (MR-SP) and 16 students were placed in the control group (MM). The intervention consisted of a MR strategy that was developed and previously tested on a group of final year nursing students (Ignacio, et al, 2016). It consisted of a didactic component about stress and performance, a video of an ideal patient deterioration assessment and management, a breathing exercise, a mental rehearsal script, and a patient deterioration simulation using standardised patients (SPs).…”