The Effects of Human Patient Simulators on Basic Knowledge in Critical Care Nursing with Undergraduate Senior Baccalaureate Nursing Students

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The nursing literature to date has offered many descriptive accounts utilizing human simulation in undergraduate and graduate nursing curricula. However, the nursing literature remains sparse in the area of studies that evaluate the effectiveness of simulation on knowledge attainment in critical care using standardized assessment tools. The primary aim of this paper is to report on a study that investigates whether participation in instruction involving human patient simulators, in conjunction with a traditional clinical experience, improves professional competence in senior-level undergraduate nursing students related to basic knowledge of critical care nursing. METHODS: This study (n=29) used a pre- and posttest repeated-measure design. Senior baccalaureate nursing students enrolled in an advanced medical-surgical nursing course participated. Students were assigned to groups and completed 7 weeks of traditional clinical experience (45 hours total) and 7 weeks of high-fidelity human simulation (45 hours total). Students completed the Basic Knowledge Assessment Tool-6 (BKAT-6) prior to traditional clinical and on the last day of human simulation experience. RESULTS: Results showed a significant improvement on the BKAT-6 overall and a significant improvement in 6 subscales of the BKAT-6. CONCLUSION: Instruction involving high-fidelity human simulation is a viable teaching strategy to improve basic knowledge acquisition as one essential attribute needed for professional competence.