Clinical simulation and deliberate practice in rapid-cycle deliberate practice: a randomized clinical trial

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Medical Simulation

Background:

• Clinical simulation is vital for healthcare education.
• Standardized patients and deliberate practice are established simulation methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare clinical simulation with standardized patients against rapid-cycle deliberate practice.
• To evaluate knowledge acquisition, perceived experience, and scenario design in suspected stroke patient care.

Main Methods:

• A randomized clinical trial involving 134 undergraduate nursing students.
• Knowledge, perceived experience, and simulation design were assessed using questionnaires.
• Participants were randomized after a theoretical class.

Main Results:

• Both groups demonstrated significant knowledge improvement (p<0.001) with no inter-group difference (p=1.0).
• Rapid-cycle deliberate practice received superior ratings for scenario design (p=0.03).

Conclusions:

• Both simulation strategies are effective and recommended for nursing education.
• Rapid-cycle deliberate practice showed advantages in student engagement and design quality.