Development and Evaluation of a Simulation-based Education Course for Nursing Students

Yang, Jin Ju

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was conducted to develop a simulation-based education course and to evaluate the results after the application for second year nursing students. METHODS: This study was a non-equivalent control pre-post design. Based on the clinical situation scenarios about patients with COPD and MI, a total of two simulation-based learning modules was developed. Pretest and posttest was conducted to evaluate the difference in critical thinking disposition, problem solving, and clinical competence between two groups of 102 students for the experimental group, 2007 and 90 students for the control group, 2006. The experimental group conducted a clinical performance evaluation in the final test, on December 10, 2007. RESULTS: In the experimental group, knowledge related to learning objectives was significantly increased and core intervention was performed almost exactly, but the same result was not observed in domains of analysis of laboratory test, and nursing education for patients. Self-evaluated clinical competence and problem solving level were significantly more improved in the experimental group than control group, but critical thinking disposition level wasn't. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, a simulation-based education course needs to utilize self-directed learning module like computer-based learning through web contents and MicroSim and video productions for improving nursing students' critical thinking.