This study aimed to evaluate the integration of a simulation based learning activity on nursing students' clinical crisis management performance in a problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum. It was hypothesized that the clinical performance of first year nursing students who participated in a simulated learning activity during the PBL session would be superior to those who completed the conventional problem-based session. The students were allocated into either simulation with problem-based discussion (SPBD) or problem-based discussion (PBD) for scenarios on respiratory and cardiac distress. Following completion of each scenario, students from both groups were invited to sit an optional individual test involving a systematic assessment and immediate management of a simulated patient facing a crisis event. A total of thirty students participated in the first post test related to a respiratory scenario and thirty-three participated in the second post test related to a cardiac scenario. Their clinical performances were scored using a checklist. Mean test scores for students completing the SPBD were significantly higher than those who completing the PBD for both the first post test (SPBD 20.08, PBD 18.19) and second post test (SPBD 27.56, PBD 23.07). Incorporation of simulation learning activities into problem-based discussion appeared to be an effective educational strategy for teaching nursing students to assess and manage crisis events.
Students may be informally buddied with registered nurses (RNs), during their clinical experience. This paper describes one component of a larger phenomenographic study that explored the qualitatively different ways students understand the RN buddy role during clinical experience and the implications of this understanding for student learning. The perception of the RN as gatekeeper was an unexpected finding and is the focus of this report. Phenomenography is a field of descriptive research concerned with the variation in ways people experience and understand similar phenomena. This approach was used to identify the variation in experience and understanding of students with buddy RNs. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 24 students from one university in Queensland, Australia. The two variations in understanding of the role discussed in this paper are: understanding as an expectation, and RN as gatekeeper: gatekeeping as access. The research highlights that the various ways RNs promote or block access for students influence the quality of the learning experience. Formal recognition of the complexity of the RN role is essential to ensure RNs have adequate preparation for their role with students.
The substantially different factor structure identified suggests that this scale requires further refinement and testing. This case study highlights the importance of a systematic and comprehensive approach to determining construct validity of scales, thus enabling researchers to determine their suitability as data collection instruments.
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