Simulation-Based Ethics Education: Building Confidence and Competence in Nursing Students

AbstractBackground: We combined simulation-based learning and ethics education for a unique, educational experience for nursing students. We aimed to assess students' feelings of confidence, efficacy, and moral distress before and after a simulation session focused primarily on handling an ethical dilemma.

A simulation session featuring an ethical dilemma was enacted as an in-class activity for a nursing ethics course. Optional pre- and post-surveys were made available to nursing students ($n=13$) to collect both quantitative (five-point Likert) and qualitative data, including a modified version of the Measure of Moral Distress-Healthcare Professionals tool.

Students reported significantly increased levels of confidence in handling real-life ethical dilemmas, knowledge of working with a physician in real-life ethical dilemmas, and competence in selecting appropriate actions in ethical dilemmas. Overall moral distress was not found to be significantly increased in participants.

Nursing students describe ethics simulation as a valuable, innovative tool for preparing them to handle eventual ethical challenges in their career and anticipating moral distress.