Scaffolding safety in nursing simulation: A grounded theory.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Patient Safety Research
• Simulation-Based Learning

Background:

• Simulation-based learning is a pedagogical strategy used in nursing education to bridge theoretical knowledge and practical application, aiming to improve patient safety.
• Despite its widespread adoption, empirical evidence linking simulation effectiveness directly to patient safety outcomes remains limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the cognitive and behavioral processes employed by undergraduate nursing students when managing a simulated deteriorating patient.
• To understand the underlying mechanisms through which simulation experiences influence student actions in critical care scenarios.

Main Methods:

• A constructivist grounded theory approach was employed, involving 32 undergraduate nursing students.
• Data collection utilized semi-structured interviews conducted over 12 months, with subsequent transcription and analysis via constant comparison.

Main Results:

• Analysis revealed two core emergent categories: "Nurturing Safety" and "Contextualizing Safety."
• These categories coalesced around a central phenomenon termed "Scaffolding Safety," describing the students' process of managing patient safety within the simulation environment.

Conclusions:

• The concept of "Scaffolding Safety" offers a framework for educators to design more effective simulation scenarios.
• This approach helps students develop critical thinking and contextualize patient safety, facilitating the transfer of skills from simulation to clinical practice.
• Integrating "Scaffolding Safety" principles into nursing curricula can enhance the connection between theoretical learning and real-world application.