Effectiveness of simulation on health profession students' knowledge, skills, confidence and satisfaction

Abstract

This review included participants who were pre-licensure practitioners in nursing, medicine, and rehabilitation therapy. Types of intervention(s)/phenomena of interest: Studies that evaluated the use of human physical anatomical models with or without computer support, including whole-body or part-body simulators were included. Types of outcome measures Student outcomes included knowledge acquisition, skill performance, learner satisfaction, critical thinking, self-confidence and role identity. Search strategy Using a defined search and retrieval method, the following databases were accessed for the period 1995-2006: Medline, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, HealthSTAR, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and ERIC. Methodological quality Each paper was assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological quality prior to inclusion in the review using the standardised critical appraisal instruments for evidence of effectiveness, developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Disagreements were dealt with by consultations with a third reviewer. Data collection Information was extracted from each paper independently by two reviewers using the standardised data extraction tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Disagreements were dealt with by consultation with a third reviewer. Data synthesis Due to the type of designs and quality of available studies, it was not possible to pool quantitative research study results in statistical meta-analysis. As statistical pooling was not possible, the findings are presented in descriptive narrative form. Results Twenty-three studies were selected for inclusion in this review including partial task trainers and high-fidelity human patient simulators. The results indicate that there is high learner satisfaction with using simulators to learn clinical skills. The studies demonstrated that human patient simulators which are used for teaching higher level skills, such as airway management, and physiological concepts are useful. While there are short-term gains in knowledge and skill performance, it is evident that performance of skills over time after initial training decline. Conclusion At best, simulation can be used as an adjunct for clinical practice, not a replacement for everyday practice. Students enjoyed the sessions and using the models purportedly makes learning easier. However, it remains unclear whether the skills learned through a simulation experience transfer into real-world settings. More research is needed to evaluate whether the skills acquired with this teaching methodology transfer to the practice setting such as the impact of simulation training on team function.

Mobile emergency simulation training for rural health providers

“…This is consistent with review articles that concluded simulation sessions purportedly facilitate learning 28,29 . To optimize the experience, the authors of the present study were often able customize cases at a rural center's request, mimicking past difficult cases or addressing an area of need.…”

Celebrating and honouring midwifery in New Zealand

“…Simulation is now widely utilised within the undergraduate and ongoing midwifery education contexts Laschinger et al, 2008;Skirton et al, 2011). This review has identified several issues, both positive and negative, related to the use of simulation for midwifery education.…”

“…This has been influenced by numerous factors, such as declining inpatient populations, rarity of some emergency clinical situations, safety concerns and advances in learning theory, forcing educators to move away from traditional clinical encounters to support student skill acquisition (Laschinger et al, 2008;McKenna et al, 2011). Simulation is being used in undergraduate midwifery education as a way of preparing students to practise safely; it has the potential to ensure graduate midwives are capable of assuming the full mantle of responsibilities and accountabilities of a midwife on graduation (Lake & McInnes, 2012).…”

“…There has been a growth in the use of simulation as a learning tool within midwifery education (Laschinger et al, 2008). This has been influenced by numerous factors, such as declining inpatient populations, rarity of some emergency clinical situations, safety concerns and advances in learning theory, forcing educators to move away from traditional clinical encounters to support student skill acquisition (Laschinger et al, 2008;McKenna et al, 2011).…”

Impact of a simulated practice program in the construction of self-confidence for intervention in emergencies and its association with knowledge and performance

“…Examples include the response to obstetric emergencies, [43] the response to emergencies by nursing and medical students, [41,42] resuscitation in pediatrics by physicians and nurses, [40] or advanced cardiac life support by physicians, nurses and paramedics. [41,44] The contribution of simulation to help students make an appropriate use of the knowledge and competences [5,6,42] is something that can help to explain this link between students' self-confidence and practical assessment.…”