The use of clinical simulation in wound care education for nurses: a scoping review protocol

Many nurse educators consider simulation a valuable tool to supplement and augment learning due to current shortages of clinical placements. Wound care is integral to nursing practice yet many students and practicing nurses experience difficulties in securing sufficient learning opportunities or experience at the undergraduate level to feel competent in providing it. Emerging evidence supports simulation as a promising intervention to facilitate student learning in wound care, building nurses' confidence and competence in providing evidence-based wound care.

To understand how clinical simulation is being used to educate nurses about wound assessment and management, and to explore the impact of clinical simulation on learning outcomes, including knowledge, attitudes, confidence, and skills related to wound care.

Inclusion criteria include studies of nursing students and nurses, simulation educational interventions, and learning outcomes related to wound care evaluated by any measures. Any studies that do not fit these criteria will be excluded.

Databases to be searched include PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, ERIC, SciELO up to February 2022. Studies in English with a date limit of 2012 to 2022 will be included. Search results will be imported into Covidence and screened by two independent reviewers, first based on the title and abstract and then full text. Data will be extracted with a novel extraction tool developed by the reviewers and then synthesised and presented in narrative, tabular, and/or graphical forms.

The finished scoping review will be published in a scientific journal once analysis is completed.