A phenomenological approach to novice nurse anesthetists' experience during simulation-based training sessions

The aim of this study was to present an empirical phenomonological approach to exploring the experience of novice nurse anesthetists engaged in simulation-based training sessions. This study was conducted within the technologic and methodological framework of the course-of-action theory developed by Theureau.

The following 3 types of data were gathered: (i) field notes, (ii) continuous video recordings of the nurses' behaviors and communications during the simulated scenarios and debriefing sessions, and (iii) verbalization data during the posttraining interviews.The data were processed in 3 steps as follows: (i) generating a log of the simulated scenarios, (ii) reconstructing the individual course of experience of each nurse-participant and for each simulated scenario, and (iii) analyzing its typical components.

The nurse-participants' concerns oscillated constantly between those related to the unfolding simulated procedure and those related to the targeted work. We identified 3 types of course of experience and noted a specific effect of the simulation, which was a particular vigilance regarding potential pitfalls and "traps" and a heightened sensitivity to the artificiality of the simulated scenarios.

The discussion section emphasizes the importance of double or multiple-intentionality and mimetic experience in simulation-based learning and learning in general. We also try to specify the concept of mimetic experience and its relationship to the learning process. We believe that taking into account the dynamics of lived experience during simulations enriches our understanding of what the participants are dealing with inside the simulated scenarios and thereby provide leads to enhance future training sessions. Our results also call attention to the need to distinguish the mimetic environment from the mimetic experience.