What are the relationships between nursing students' characteristics and how they percieve using high fidelity simulation for attaining pediatric learning outcomes?

Abstract

There is growing interest regarding the use of high fidelity simulation within nursing education. Educators are beginning to incorporate this new teaching modality into various clinical courses. One area in particular is pediatrics, which requires nursing students to think outside the context of adult care, thus applying skills and knowledge specific to pediatric practice. A gap in knowledge was identified between the use of high fidelity simulation (HFS) in pediatric nursing education and students’ perceptions of its usefulness for acquisition of knowledge and skills in this patient population group. A quantitative study utilizing a non-experimental research design was used to examine the relationships between specific nursing students’ characteristics and how they perceive attaining course learning outcomes using pediatric HFS. The study informs educators what relationship exists between nursing students’ perceptions of knowledge acquisition and the development of communication and psychomotor skills with the use of HFS in pediatric clinical courses.