Using Simulation to Evaluate Nurse Competencies.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Patient Safety
• Clinical Skills Training

Background:

• Effective sepsis surveillance and clinical decision-making are critical for patient outcomes.
• Traditional competency assessments may not ensure long-term knowledge retention.
• Integrating simulation into nursing education can enhance practical skill acquisition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a multimodal nursing pedagogy using simulation for sepsis management competencies.
• To assess knowledge retention of sepsis surveillance and clinical decision-making among nurses post-simulation.
• To determine the viability of simulation as a competency assessment tool for professional nurses.

Main Methods:

• A multimodal nursing pedagogy incorporating simulation was implemented as part of annual nurse competencies.
• A pretest/posttest design was employed to measure knowledge retention.
• The study was conducted at a 465-bed academic medical center.

Main Results:

• Nurses demonstrated improved sepsis knowledge following the simulation-based training.
• Simulation facilitated long-term knowledge retention relevant to clinical practice.
• The simulation effectively translated theoretical knowledge into practical application.

Conclusions:

• Multimodal simulation is an effective strategy for enhancing nurses' sepsis knowledge and retention.
• Simulation serves as a viable and effective tool for professional nurse competency assessment.
• This approach supports the translation of critical skills into improved patient care.