Augmenting pediatric nursing clinical education with low-cost simulations

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Medical Simulation
• Pediatric Care

Background:

• Limited clinical opportunities challenge pediatric nursing education.
• High-fidelity simulation is effective but costly.
• Low-cost alternatives like pictocards offer a viable solution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the educational benefits of pictocard-based simulation.
• To assess the effectiveness of a low-cost simulation method in pediatric nursing education.

Main Methods:

• Convergent mixed methods study with undergraduate nursing students.
• Quantitative data collected via modified Simulation Effectiveness Tool (SET-M).
• Qualitative data from open-ended responses analyzed using content analysis.

Main Results:

• 164 learners participated; simulation was effective (SET-M score 2.49/3.0).
• Highest effectiveness reported in debriefing (2.79/3.0).
• Qualitative feedback highlighted enhanced understanding and patient diversity exposure.

Conclusions:

• Pictocard-based simulation is an effective, low-cost approach for pediatric nursing SBE.
• Further research into low-cost simulation modalities for competency development is recommended.