The Effect of Nursing Faculty Presence on Students' Level of Anxiety, Self-Confidence, and Clinical Performance During a Clinical Simulation Experience

Nursing schools design their clinical simulation labs based upon faculty's perception of the optimal environment to meet the students' learning needs, other programs' success with integrating high-tech clinical simulation, and the funds available. No research has been conducted on nursing faculty presence during a summative evaluation. The faculty's decision of where to position themselves during a summative evaluation should not be based on convenience, preference, or tradition but on evidence from research. The purpose of this study, partially guided by the Nursing Education Simulation framework, was to determine the effect of nursing faculty presence on students' level of state anxiety, self-confidence, and clinical performance during a summative evaluation of a clinical simulation experience. Data were collected for the quasi-experimental two group pretest-posttest study from a total of 91 participants during the Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 semesters at a large university in the north central region of the United States. Five research questions were posed and analyzed using various statistical procedures. The results indicated there were no statistically significant differences in the level of state anxiety, self-confidence, clinical performance and satisfaction of nursing students who were in the experimental group (Group A) and those in the control group (Group B). Results indicated, however, that there was a statistically significant difference in change in the state anxiety scores from pretest to posttest by group. The nursing faculty's presence in the simulation lab during a summative evaluation of a simulation experience resulted in a significant rise in the state anxiety level of the nursing students in the experimental group, yet this didn't impact the students' overall clinical performance during the clinical simulation experience. In conclusion, the results provided evidence to support nursing faculty positioning themselves in the control room or at a remote viewing location for a summative evaluation in order to avoid increasing students' level of state anxiety

Development and Psychometric Evaluation of a Spiritual Care Simulation and Companion Performance Checklist for a Veteran Using a Standardized Patient

Background Spiritual care is a professional mandate in nursing. Patients want and benefit from spiritual care, but nurses report lack of education and uncertainty on how to integrate spiritual care into practice. Simulation can evaluate nurses’ ability to provide spiritual care but must be evidence-based and requires psychometric evaluation. Method A spiritual care simulation for a veteran and performance checklist were created based on literature review and were psychometrically evaluated. Forty RNs participated in the simulation and completed the Spiritual Care Inventory. The participants, the standardized patient and independent observer completed the performance checklist. Results Findings supported content, face, construct and predictive validity as well as interrater reliability. Conclusions Simulation can be used to teach spiritual care

Effect of Nursing Faculty Presence on Students’ Anxiety, Self-Confidence, and Clinical Performance during a Clinical Simulation Experience

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of nursing faculty presence on students’ level of state anxiety, self-confidence, and clinical performance during a summative evaluation using clinical simulation. Method: The quasi-experimental two group pre-post test research design used the Nursing Education Simulation Framework and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning Instrument, and Clinical Performance Evaluation Tool to operationalize the concepts. Results: Faculty presence in the simulation room did not have a significant effect on state anxiety, self-confidence and satisfaction, or clinical performance; yet, the change in state anxiety scores from pretest to posttest were found to be significantly different with an increase in state anxiety scores from pretest to posttest for the experimental group and a decrease in state anxiety scores from pretest to posttest for the control group. Conclusions: Results provided partial support to recommend nursing faculty evaluate students from a control room or remote viewing location

Education Theory and Classroom Games: Increasing Knowledge and Fun in the Classroom

Games are a valuable teaching strategy in higher education classrooms. In the July 2005 issue of the Journal of Nursing Education, Glendon and Ulrich discussed the creative approach of games. Two games, What’s That Intervention? and Name That Drug, were described as “an excellent way to teach content, create community among students and faculty, and enhance students’ critical thinking abilities” (Glendon & Ulrich, 2005, p. 338). This article describes another game, Who Wants To Be A Nurse?, that also meets the needs of adult learners by actively involving them in the learning process in a fun and exciting wa

Simulation for High-Stakes Evaluation in Nursing

Simulation is prevalent in nursing education yet is rarely used for evaluation. The authors describe the use of simulation as a high-stakes evaluation of senior baccalaureate nursing student achievement of end-of-program competencies and assist with student remediation. The results of a high-stakes evaluation led to positive changes in student learning as well as curriculum reform for a Midwestern university

Multiple-Patient Simulations Guidelines and Examples

Multiple-patient simulations may be used to promote the development of leadership skills as well as patient care management. Multiple-patient simulations create opportunities that mimic real interactions encountered in clinical practice. In addition to promoting the development of these essential skills among students, these simulations also meet the needs of new graduate nurses. The purpose of this article is to provide educators with guidelines on how to create and implement a multiple-patient simulation and examples for application

Substitution of Clinical Experience With Simulation in Prelicensure Nursing Programs: A National Survey in the United States

Some states allow simulation substitution of supervised clinical instruction. However, a review of the literature found that a standard substitution ratio for simulation hours to supervised clinical hours does not exist among prelicensure nursing programs.A descriptive survey was sent to more than 1,400 prelicensure schools of nursing. Schools of nursing reported various substitution ratios demonstrating ambiguity between institutions. This study provided an initial view of current practices related to simulation as a substitution for supervised clinical experiences

Electronic Charting During Simulation: A Descriptive Study

Informatics is a core competency for nursing students recognized by several national organizations in healthcare and nursing education. Nurses must be able to use information and technology to communicate and manage knowledge in support of clinical decisions. Many hospitals either limit or deny nursing students\u27 access to the electronic health record during traditional clinical learning. Simulation-based learning experiences are an alternative to traditional clinical experiences. What remains unclear is how nursing programs are incorporating electronic health record platforms within simulation. This study used a descriptive design to survey nursing programs exploring electronic health record use within simulation-based learning experiences in the classroom, skills laboratory, or simulation laboratory settings. Findings of the survey show that 56.2% of participants used an electronic health record in the classroom, skills laboratory, or simulation laboratory for simulation. Electronic health record use is gaining momentum via simulation-based learning experiences and students are not only documenting but also gathering data and appraising patient data for meaningful use to inform patient care decisions and promote clinical readiness

Electronic Charting During Simulation: A Descriptive Study

Informatics is a core competency for nursing students recognized by several national organizations in healthcare and nursing education. Nurses must be able to use information and technology to communicate and manage knowledge in support of clinical decisions. Many hospitals either limit or deny nursing students’ access to the electronic health record during traditional clinical learning. Simulation-based learning experiences are an alternative to traditional clinical experiences. What remains unclear is how nursing programs are incorporating electronic health record platforms within simulation. This study used a descriptive design to survey nursing programs exploring electronic health record use within simulation-based learning experiences in the classroom, skills laboratory, or simulation laboratory settings. Findings of the survey show that 56.2% of participants used an electronic health record in the classroom, skills laboratory, or simulation laboratory for simulation. Electronic health record use is gaining momentum via simulation-based learning experiences and students are not only documenting but also gathering data and appraising patient data for meaningful use to inform patient care decisions and promote clinical readiness