Conference Proceedings - School of Nursing & Midwifery - Trinity ...

School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin: 8 th Annual Interdisciplinary Research Conference
Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology: 7 th – 9 th November 2007
Conference Proceedings
patient census and acuity preclude standardization of what the
student will encounter on any particular day. Because of this, it is
impossible to ensure that every student has the same opportunities
to develop and practice these essential skills.
Aim:
To review the development and implementation of an intermediate
fidelity interdisciplinary simulation and determine if student nurses
found a laboratory setting that replicates management of eight
acutely ill medical-surgical inpatients effective in developing
interdisciplinary collaboration, patient prioritization and delegation
skills.
Methods:
Students participated in a complex intermediate fidelity simulation
as a requirement for completion of their senior-level capstone
clinical course. Student perceptions of the simulation experience
were measured during the course evaluation process using the
following well-validated Likert scales developed by the National
League for Nursing (NLN):
1) Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning
2) Educational Practices Questionnaire (Student Version), and
3) Simulation Design Scale (Student Version)
Sample:
A purposive sample of forty nine (49) undergraduate nursing
students enrolled in the final clinical course of their Bachelor of
Science program.
Analysis:
Descriptive statistics regarding student perceptions were generated
based on aggregate scores and selected individual items from these
instruments.
Summary of Key Findings:
Seventy seven to eighty two percent of the students agreed that the
simulation provided them with a positive active learning experience
and allowed them to collaborate with one another. The majority of
students (73 – 85%) also approved of the simulation design and
found that it allowed them to problem solve while being supported
and given constructive feedback. Self confidence in learning and
satisfaction with current learning was generally high, however, an
unexpectedly large percentage of students (8-38%) responded with
“undecided” to many survey items.
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