Nursing Students’ Perception of Clinical Simulation in the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: Simulation in nursing has advantages for performance, psychomotor skills, and clinical learning. In addition, simulation has been reported to show a positive impact, which may guide nurse instructors with regard to the conditions beyond which patient simulation is more practical than the traditional learning style. Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the perceptions of nursing students studying at the College for Health Sciences in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia. Methods: A quantitative study design was used in this study. A descriptive survey was conducted using a convenience sample of nursing students at the College for Health Sciences in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire consisted of 10 questions presented on a four-point Likert scale. Results: A total of 103 nursing students participated in the study with a response rate of 85%. The majority (70%) were Bachelor program students, while 30% were Bridging program students. Most respondents’ age ranged between 18–22 (55%). The respondents' level of the program that they were enrolled in while taking the survey was as follows: first year (17%), second year (20%), third year (28%), and fourth year (35%). Students demonstrated the strongest agreement with the statement “simulation helped in better understanding the concepts in the clinical setting” with a mean of 3.0. However, the lowest mean score of 2.74 was for the statement “simulation was realistic and students experienced nervousness during their simulation sessions”. Conclusion: The results conclude that simulations help students better understand concepts in clinical settings, provide them with valuable learning experiences, and help them stimulate critical thinking abilities.