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Randomized, controlled trial of the effectiveness of simulation education: A 24-month follow-up study in a clinical
Miia M Jansson1, Hannu P Syrjälä2, Pasi P Ohtonen3
1Division of Intensive Care, Department of Anesthesiology, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland; Institute of Health Science, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
Background:
Critical care nurses' knowledge and skills in adhering to evidence-based guidelines for avoiding complications associated with intubation and mechanical ventilation are currently limited. We hypothesized that single simulation education session would lead to a long-lasting higher level of skills among critical care nurses.
Material And Methods:
A randomized controlled trial was conducted in a 22-bed adult mixed medical-surgical intensive care unit in Finland during the period February 2012-March 2014. Thirty out of 40 initially randomized critical care nurses participated in a 24-month follow-up study. Behavior and cognitive development was evaluated through a validated Ventilator Bundle Observation Schedule and Questionnaire at the baseline measurement and repeated 3 times during simulation and real-life clinic settings.
Results:
After simulation education, the average skills score increased from 46.8%-58.8% of the total score in the final postintervention measurement (Ptime < .001, Ptime × group = .040, and Pgroup = .11). The average knowledge scores within groups did not change significantly. The average between-group difference in skills scores was significant only at the measurement taken at 6 months (P = .006).
Conclusions:
Critical care nurses' skills in adhering to evidence-based guidelines improved in both groups over time, but the improvements between the study groups was significantly different only at 6 months and was no longer evident after 2 years following a single simulation education.
