First Contact With Care Through Clinical Simulation in Nursing Students: Qualitative Study

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Medical Simulation
• Healthcare Professional Training

Background:

• Clinical simulation with standardized patients offers nursing students a safe and realistic first exposure to patient care.
• This experiential learning environment elicits strong emotions and fosters the development of crucial nursing competencies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore nursing students' perceptions of their initial patient care experiences.
• Focus on simulation-based learning utilizing standardized patients.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative descriptive phenomenological study.
• Employed focus groups and reflective narratives with 59 nursing students.
• Thematic analysis was conducted using ATLAS.ti software.

Main Results:

• Identified three primary thematic blocks: initial simulation contact, learning and skill development, and preparation for clinical practice.
• Student experiences highlighted the impact of simulation on learning and competency acquisition.

Conclusions:

• Clinical simulation significantly impacts nursing education by providing a secure, realistic learning setting.
• Simulation enhances learning through emotional engagement, teamwork, and human interaction, strengthening professional identity and integrating technical and relational skills.
• Results advocate for integrating active, humanized methodologies into nursing training programs.