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The Simulation Games: Bringin' It to the Bedside
Cheryl Besse1, Laura Vogelsang, Jill Zdunich
1Author Affiliations: Assistant Professor (Ms Besse) and Instructor (Ms Zdunich), College of Nursing, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; and Associate Dean (Ms Vogelsang), Centre for Health and Wellness, Lethbridge College, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.
Background:
Although nursing students practice skills in labs as part of the curriculum, many report feeling anxious and unprepared for their first clinical experience.
Purpose:
A capstone lab, integrating gaming with simulation, was implemented to assimilate previous learning and promote critical thinking before beginning clinical experiences.
Methods:
Second-year baccalaureate nursing students participated in a gamified lab with simulated scenarios working in teams in various roles to manage patient situations. Remediation opportunities throughout the lab and formal structured debriefing further maximized their learning.
Results:
Students reported the lab was beneficial. Most students found the lab "stressful, but in a good way," which challenged them to apply previous learning. Most students cited reduced anxiety and increased confidence for practice after the labs.
Conclusions:
Integrating gaming with simulated scenarios maintained student engagement while encouraging critical thinking and knowledge synthesis to better prepare them for clinical experiences.
