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Beyond the bedside: Exploring the impact of simulation and performance-based learning on nursing students' competence
Sayed Ibrahim Ali1, Mostafa Shaban2
1Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Al Hofuf, 31982, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.
Background:
Aging demographics heighten the need for undergraduate nurses who are prepared to deliver competent, compassionate geriatric care. Simulation and performance-based learning are increasingly used to bridge theory-practice gaps.
Aim:
To explore undergraduate nursing students' experiences of simulation and performance-based learning and how these strategies shape perceived competence in geriatric care.
Design:
Qualitative exploratory study.
Methods:
Sixteen students who completed geriatric-focused simulation and performance assessments participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step approach. Trustworthiness was supported through member checking, audit trail, and peer debriefing.
Results:
Four themes emerged: (1) bridging theory and practice; (2) developing empathy and emotional insight; (3) building professional confidence and identity; and (4) recognizing systemic barriers. Students reported enhanced clinical reasoning, greater familiarity with geriatric assessment tools, stronger empathic engagement, and increased readiness for practice, while noting constraints related to preceptor engagement and time in clinical settings.
Conclusions:
Simulation and performance-based learning foster geriatric care competence across cognitive, affective, and professional domains. Aligning academic and clinical environments is crucial to sustain transfer of skills to practice.
Implications For Nursing Education:
Early, longitudinal integration of geriatrics-focused simulation, structured debriefing, and preceptor-aligned clinical opportunities may strengthen readiness for an aging population.
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