The Influence of Nursing Simulation on Patient Outcomes and Patient Safety: A Scoping Review

• Published in: Clinical simulation in nursing 2022-09, Vol.70, p.37-46
• Main Authors: El Hussein, Mohamed Toufic, Harvey, Giuliana, Bell, Nicole
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Nursing; Nursing students; Patient outcomes; Patient safety; Scoping review; Simulation
• ISSN: 1876-1399; 1876-1402
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecns.2022.06.004

•Overall, despite a lack of rigorous literature, this scoping review established that simulation positively impacts nursing performance, patient safety, and patient outcomes.•The use of simulation can improve the transfer of knowledge to the clinical setting through demonstrated behaviors, which reflect a high level of knowledge transfer.•This scoping review is an initial step to identifying the literature available regarding the impact of simulation from various modalities on patient safety and patient outcomes in different contexts.•The next step would be to evaluate the available literature, including quasi-experimental studies, using a systematic review approach to assess the quality of the evidence and further determine the impact of simulation on patient outcomes and patient safety. Simulation is a widely used educational modality for nurses. A literature gap is present in the existent literature, as identified by the authors of this study, relating to simulation effects on patient safety measured through patient outcomes and nursing performance. Without evidence to support simulation as an effective method to improve patient outcomes and safety, it is challenging to justify its use over traditional teaching methods. A scoping review was implemented using Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review method and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) extension for scoping reviews scoping review checklist. The aim was to identify randomized controlled studies that measured patient safety as a result of simulation for graduate and undergraduate nurses. Eleven studies, including 696 nurses, met the inclusion criteria. The two main categories that were examined were clinical performance impacting patient safety and patient outcomes. Four additional outcome categories were examined as possible contributors to the two main outcomes: participant satisfaction with training, self-confidence, self-efficacy, attitudes, and knowledge. While rigorous studies examining the impact of simulation on patient outcomes and patient safety are scarce, evidence supports that simulation improves both patient safety and patient outcomes.