Abstract
Introduction: Simulation fills the gap between theory and practice
as a method of student-centered learning and performance
assessment. Simulation-based learning is a commonly used
teaching tool that provides opportunities for students to learn and
apply theoretical principles of nursing care in a safe environment.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the nursing
students’ perception of obstetric high fidelity simulation and its
effects on their knowledge, skills, and critical thinking.
Method: A descriptive, and correlational study design was
utilized. Convenience sampling was conducted among junior
level baccalaureate nursing students who were enrolled in a
maternal child health nursing course at a large public university.
The simulation experiences included nine different scenarios that
highlighted critical obstetric concepts. Three instruments were
used to gather data: (a) a demographic survey, (b) the Simulation
Evaluation Form, and (c) the Simulation Design Scale. Student
feedback also was assessed through qualitative open-ended
questions. There were three simulation sessions. One hundredtwenty
students participated in the simulation training as observers
with the following response rates for each session: I (80.5 %),
II (75.9 %), III (66.6 %). The response rate for the simulation
participants was 100 % (36/36) for all sessions. The collected data
was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences
software and the level of significance was set at 0.05.
Results: The majority of the participants were female (79.7 %)
and the mean age was 23.6 years. The findings indicated that
simulation activities improved students’ perception of learning.
There was a positivie correlation between the amount of simulation
a student had experienced and the perception of simulation.
The qualitative analysis of open ended questions revealed five
themes: satisfaction, skills/knowledge, confidence/critical thinking,
cooperation/communication, and fidelity
Conclusion: The findings of the study indicated that respondents felt
positive about high fidelity simulation experience. Further research
is needed to identify components of simulation effectiveness with a
larger sample size.
