Using simulation technology to identify gaps between education and practice among new graduate nurses

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Clinical Simulation
• Medical-Surgical Nursing

Background:

• New graduate nurses face challenges transitioning from education to practice.
• Assessing applied knowledge and clinical performance is crucial for effective training.
• Simulation-based training offers a controlled environment to evaluate nursing skills.

Purpose of the Study:

• To measure the applied knowledge and clinical performance of new graduate nurses in a medical-surgical residency program.
• To identify factors influencing performance in simulated clinical scenarios.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of simulation training over a 5-week period.

Main Methods:

• Twenty groups of new graduate nurses participated in five simulated clinical scenarios.
• Performance was assessed using a 24-item checklist to score applied knowledge.
• Data were collected weekly over a 5-week period to track improvement.

Main Results:

• Nurse groups showed statistically significant improvement (p < 0.001) in applied knowledge across four clinical domains from week 1 to week 5.
• Performance scores varied across scenarios, with challenges noted in decision-making and task prioritization in two scenarios.
• The study provided valuable insights into the overall performance trends of the nurse groups.

Conclusions:

• Simulation training effectively improved applied knowledge and clinical performance in new graduate nurses.
• Complex patient conditions and prioritization challenges require specific attention during residency training.
• Standardized residency programs are vital for identifying and addressing key factors in the transition from nursing education to clinical practice.