Perceived benefits and challenges of repeated exposure to high fidelity simulation experiences of first degree accelerated bachelor nursing students

• Published in: Nurse education today 2016-01, Vol.36, p.298-303
• Main Authors: Kaddoura, Mahmoud, Vandyke, Olga, Smallwood, Christopher, Gonzalez, Kristen Mathieu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Associate degrees; College students; Competence; Confidence; Critical thinking; Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; Fidelity; First degree accelerated nursing students; High fidelity simulation; Learning; Multiple simulations; Nursing; Nursing education; Perceptions; Simulation; Students, Nursing; Teaching; United States
• ISSN: 0260-6917; 1532-2793
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nedt.2015.07.014

This study explored perceptions of first-degree entry-level accelerated bachelor nursing students regarding benefits and challenges of exposure to multiple high fidelity simulation (HFS) scenarios, which has not been studied to date. These perceptions conformed to some research findings among Associate Degree, traditional non-accelerated, and second-degree accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students faced with one to two simulations. However, first-degree accelerated BSN students faced with multiple complex simulations perceived improvements on all outcomes, including critical thinking, confidence, competence, and theory–practice integration. On the negative side, some reported feeling overwhelmed by the multiple HFS scenarios. Evidence from this study supports HFS as an effective teaching and learning method for nursing students, along with valuable implications for many other fields. •This study is the first to be conducted in the context of a first-degree, entry-level accelerated Bachelor of Science in nursing program.•This study investigated students' experiences of exposure to multiple high fidelity simulation scenarios, which has not been studied to-date.•First-degree Accelerated Bachelor of Science in nursing program students faced with multiple complex simulations perceived improvements on all outcomes—critical thinking, confidence, competence, and theory–practice integration.•Findings are different from non-first-degree ABSN students faced with 1–2 complex simulations that have been the focus of all previous research on simulations.