Learning practical nursing skills in simulation centers - A narrative review.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Medical Simulation

Background:

• Practical skills in nursing integrate technical, manual, communication, and caring aspects.
• Simulation centers provide diverse learning activities mimicking patient scenarios for skill development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review international research on practical nursing skills acquisition in simulation/skills centers.
• To identify types of practical skills studied, learning activities employed, and outcomes assessed.

Main Methods:

• A narrative review of 121 studies published between 2013 and 2022.
• Searches conducted across multiple electronic databases (Medline, CINAHL, Eric, Embase, etc.).
• Inclusion criteria focused on bachelor nursing students learning practical skills in simulation settings.

Main Results:

• Overwhelmingly quantitative research (108 studies) focused on 50 different practical skills.
• Learning modalities for optimal outcomes were a primary focus, with only 8.5% of studies examining student learning processes.
• Key outcomes measured included skill performance (101 studies), knowledge (57), confidence (34), and satisfaction (32).

Conclusions:

• Significant heterogeneity in learning modalities and assessment tools hinders research synthesis.
• Technical skills were prioritized over communication and collaboration skills.
• Future research must address students' learning processes and the impact of various learning modalities.