SIMULATION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF CLINICAL JUDGMENT: A QUANTITATIVE STUDY

Jonas Auditorium

Objective. To study the effects of using the Nursing Education Simulation Design framework as a guide during simulation and to compare the difference between a control group and an intervention group as students engaged in simulation. Background. The development of clinical judgment in nurses is crucial to the provision of safe care, yet opportunities for clinical experiences can be diminished due to competition for clinical sites. Exposure to simulated clinical scenarios can provide an opportunity for students to practice nursing skills in a safe learning environment without the fear of harming a patient, but there is limited evidence of quantitative educational methods that promote clinical judgment. Methods. Quantitative data were collected using the Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric (LCJR), the educational practices scale, and the Simulation Design Scale. Results. The results indicated that the total mean score improved in both groups, but significant differences (p < .05) were found in five of the eleven LCJR subscale scores for only the intervention group and the null hypothesis was rejected. Conclusion. The results provide additional evidence that simulation is an effective educational strategy. Students also perceived that a greater number of the educational practices of active learning, collaboration, diverse ways of learning, and high expectations, components of the Nursing Education Simulation design, were important simulation design features. Also noted, was that the simulation design features of goals and objectives, support, problem solving, feedback, reflection, and fidelity enhanced the learning outcomes in simulation. Grants. None