The Benefits of Having a Nursing Simulation - Essay Example

Nursing Proposal Nursing Proposal Executive Summary An on-site nursing simulation-based practice lab was carried out with 42 scholars registered in a merged far-off nursing certificate course at the last part of their first year of nursing, before their medical placements. The six-hour procedure incorporated an orientation, group activities comprising of three obstetric-based situations utilizing the modest fidelity simulator Noelle®, as well as a debriefing procedure. A late-afternoon social event was also offered. The researched employed a mixed technique study design comprising of both qualitative, as well as quantitative methods. Data was gathered through a demographic survey, a 20-item knowledge test, as well as a three NLN – National League for Nursing – instruments – the Educational Practices in Simulation Scale, the Simulation Design Scale and the Self-Confidence and Learner Satisfaction in Learning Scale. There was also a pre- and post-lab procedure of Rovai’s Classroom Society Scale. The qualitative part of the research comprised of semi-structured questions with 25 scholars, five clinical placement educators and three lab facilitators. Investigation of data gathered after and before the simulation-based lab showed a noteworthy improvement in knowledge along with a sense of society in the crowd as a whole. Investigation of the results of the National League for Nursing instruments proved that the simulation-based lab was educationally effective. Learners were extremely positive in their ratings of the planning of elements and execution of the simulation-based practice lab. They were also happy with the simulation-based learning events, and certain in their capacity to offer patient care. The qualitative study added a wealthy and descriptive perception of how the simulation-based practice lab supported educational efficiency (i.e., knowledge and skills, self-confidence, and student satisfaction), training for clinical placement, as well as community cohesion. Thematic research of the interview data recognized the following critical themes: nurse-patient interaction, benefits to distance learners, positive experience, theory to practice, supportive learning and sense of community (student interviews); facilitator role, benefits of technology and simulation experience (facilitator interviews); and positive experience, sense of community and theory to practice (clinical instructor interviews). This paper engrosses the use of on-site nursing simulation labs as a way of providing greater willingness for clinical practice and encourages the sense of society among distance learners. Keywords: Simulation-based practice lab, blended learning, nursing education, distance education, community cohesion, self-confidence, learner satisfaction. Introduction For over three decades, distance learning has offered a means for nursing curriculums to meet the requirements of remote and rural communities, assisting them counter the hurdles of a shifting healthcare system and constant nursing scarcities. The flexibility and accessibility of distance nursing curriculums makes them well matched to adult students with numerous demands and responsibilities on their time (Walker, 2012). Also, for a lot of students, distance learning is the only means they can pursue post-high school education. In addition, nursing learners enrolled in long distance curriculums learn in their neighborhoods and are most expected to stay there following graduation and be maintained in their neighborhood workforce. They also shun away from the lack of family disruption, familiarity, and augmented living expenses brought about by moving away and studying at a college or university. While long distance learning has become a priceless and effective method of offering nursing curriculums, it is not adequate for changing nursing students into the knowledgeable, competent, and extremely skilled medical practitioners required for today’s multifaceted healthcare setting. A majority of the long distance nursing curriculums at the moment use a form of unified delivery, where the content is delivered online or using other technology-related means such as video- or audio-conferencing. Clinical placements and practical labs, on the other hand, are carried on-site at a neighboring learning centers or health facilities (Smith, 2009). Nevertheless, the changeover from theory to practice might be tough, and learners frequently lack knowledge, skills and self-assurance as they start the practical part of their education. As a result, long distance nurse teachers are recurrently searching for successful teaching means to train their learners for clinical duties. One of the latest and most hopeful ways being executed in nursing education currently is the use of mechanized human patient simulations and simulators rooted in clinical scenarios (Walker, 2012). Nevertheless, to date, modest investigation has been done on education strategies to train distance nursing learners for clinical duty, and even fewer researches have been carried out on the educational success of employing simulated practice and simulation as a way to do so. Hence, the aim of this research is to add to this presently understudied part and optimistically to offer insight and improved awareness of the outcome an on-site nursing simulation lab would have on educational success (i.e., knowledge, learner satisfaction, skill, and self-assurance) in training distance nursing learners for clinical duty. The exploitation of nursing simulation labs are a promising method of assisting learners become more ready for clinical duty, and might even offer an alternate when clinical placements are not possible or available (Rovai, 2008). This paper helps to fill this gap and aids to the increasing body of knowledge concerning the exploitation of scenario-related simulated application in nursing education. The Benefits of Having a Nursing Simulation Nursing Simulation is a resourceful teaching approach, which nursing teachers can use to assist learners make the change from theory to practice (Smith, 2009). Hence, this endeavor can hearten distance nurse teachers to embrace simulation in the design of practice labs so as to better organize learners for clinical placements. Successful preparation is necessary for nursing learners to labor in healthcare settings where superior patient perception levels, shorter patient stays and staff shortages are widespread and highly traumatic, particularly for starting student practitioners (Walker, 2012). A nursing simulation practice lab might offer nursing learners with opportunities to execute their skills, make blunders, learn from those blunders, and echo on their practice and executive abilities in a safe and collaborative learning setting. Simulation-based practice assists starting nursing practitioners grow confidence in their capabilities to practice in the more and more complex healthcare setting. In a multi-site long distance nursing curriculum, executing an on-site nursing simulation lab at a single university site can homogenize the way nursing learners are equipped for clinical placements, as well (Walker, 2012). In rural societies where restricted or old-fashioned lab assets and a scarcity of clinical placements are widespread, a nursing simulation lab offers a means of introducing students to clinical experiences, which they might not be capable of participating in otherwise, such as obstetrical deliveries, prenatal assessments, or looking after surgical post-Caesarean section patients. In addition, when clinical placement chances cannot be acquired, nursing simulation labs can offer a semblance of the medical experience for nursing learners (Walker, 2012). Learners on the use of clinical scenarios in nursing education and human patient simulators have centered on educator and student satisfaction, effective and creative teaching techniques, self-assurance, and the expansion of critical thinking skills. More research has confirmed additional constructive outcomes when collaboration and debriefing have been integrated into the simulation practice. Nevertheless, none of these researches has tackled distance or unified nursing curriculum. Superior patient perception and improvements in patient care technology like ventilators, external, defibrillators, as well as infusion pumps, have shaped new requirements for simulation in nursing practice, as well as new hurdles, for nursing teachers to assist learners become more prepared for clinical duties. It is significant for nursing teachers to be conscious of the challenges and benefits of incorporating simulation in nursing practice and education (Rovai, 2008). Numerous scholars have explored and researched on how simulation can benefit and assist collaborative learning. They highlighted that a simulated medical setting can offer a perfect, active learning setting, which is engaging, safe and extremely realistic. According to Walker (2012), healthcare simulation circumstances (e.g., resuscitation events or mock codes) might be developed to permit students to work in groups. When working in a group, learners cooperatively work together to crack problems and grant care during the simulated learning. During the group work, learners also have the chance to assist each other in case of a stressful situation. In this shared learning experience, learners can analyze and reflect jointly what worked successfully and share ideas concerning areas where upgrading might be needed. Working in clusters assists learners in learning from each other, expand and sharpen decision-making, as well as critical thinking skills. Walker (2012) also recommended that nursing learners be able to carry out their skills and build up confidence prior to giving care in a clinical location. This is because the clinical setting can be traumatic for nursing learners as patient perception levels are elevated and staff scarcities are large. Simulation is a perfect approach to offer such practice, since it not only provides learners with the opportunity to make blunders in a safe and supportive environment, but permits them to reiterate the task after being offered accurate feedback or self-reflection until they can carry out the task without errors and with self-confidence. This, therefore, enhances the students’ skill development (Walker, 2012). Active learning is a significant feature of simulation. Norwood (2010) notes that simulation offers an active learning environment whereby nurse educators can assist their students formulate connections among and between concepts, which engage them in the learning procedure. The author incorporated active learning as a constituent in the Simulation Model that was adapted from the NLN study, a forerunner to the Nursing Simulation Framework (Hebda & Czar, 2009). The addition of this component stems from previous research on simulation as an education strategy. Walker (2012) also found out that learners retained knowledge much longer when concerned in active learning. In the education activities, learners came to the simulation experience with prior skills and knowledge, and then, in the framework of a simulation setting offered by the facilitator, worked jointly with their peers to offer the medical care their given patient. Once the process was done, the facilitator and students talked about the experience. Walker (2012) accomplished that the opportunity for instant feedback assisted students to process the education further and shift it into durable memory, leading to a greater retention of skills and knowledge. Also, another benefit of simulation in nursing education is that it permits nursing teachers to give a clinical experience, which a student might not have the opportunity to come across otherwise. For instance, rural society health centers might not have as many maternity beds as superior urban-based health centers. Chances to observe a live birth, give post-operative medical care following a Caesarean section or care for a newborn are minimal. Simulation permits the nursing teacher to present a variety of simple to multifaceted situations for students in a managed environment. In a likewise vein, Walker (2012) recognized the shortage of clinical placement chances in learner nurses’ home communities as a hurdle of long distance nursing curriculums. Walker noted that struggle for clinical placement was present from other programs, and that minor societies seemed to have fewer chances for clinical placements, particularly in particular areas such as Infant/Maternal, as well as Surgical units. To tackle these hurdles, researchers brought nursing learners together at one of the four regional universities for a learning experience utilizing human patient simulators in clinical settings (Walker, 2012). Simulators were conveyed to one site plus three obstetrical labs were erected in classrooms for procedures as students alternated through each lab. The researchers created their own unique assessment instruments, online assessment survey and clinical scenarios. Outcomes of a pre- and post-knowledge assessment gave a numerically noteworthy gain in knowledge and skills (t (32) = -7.303, p Read More