Determining the developmental pathway of system thinking in undergraduate nursing students using a simulation...

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Simulation
• Systems Thinking

Background:

• Cultivating systems thinking in undergraduate nursing students presents challenges for educators.
• A six-scenario simulation program, grounded in cognitive load theory, was developed to foster this competence.
• Systems thinking acquisition requires accumulated learning and reflective practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how simulation-based nursing education enhances undergraduate nursing students' systems thinking competence.
• To understand the metacognitive development of systems thinking in nursing students.

Main Methods:

• Content analysis of 294 student reflective journals.
• Application of an affinity diagram to map the development trajectory of systems thinking competence.

Main Results:

• Qualitative evidence identified pathways in systems thinking development, including responses to events and identification of learning needs.
• Students demonstrated progression toward future actions and a growth mindset, showing resilience and proactivity.
• Simulation-based learning fostered competence development, contextualization, and motivation.

Conclusions:

• A deliberately designed simulation educational program offers significant benefits for nursing students' competence development.
• Simulation effectively supports the contextualization of learning and enhances motivation to acquire new knowledge.
• This approach aids in cultivating essential systems thinking skills for future nursing practice.