The Repeated-Exposure Simulation Training for Ventilator Alarm Management in Novice Intensive Care Unit Nurses

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Nursing Education
• Simulation-Based Training

Background:

• Ventilator alarm management is a critical skill for intensive care unit (ICU) nurses.
• Novice ICU nurses often face challenges in effectively managing ventilator alarms.
• A need exists for structured training to enhance ventilator alarm competence in novice nurses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a Repeated-exposure Simulation training for Ventilator Alarm Management (RSVAM) program.
• To improve ventilator alarm knowledge, perceived clinical competency, and learning self-efficacy among novice ICU nurses.

Main Methods:

• The RSVAM program involved a case-based lecture, pre-learning module, three simulation cycles with a high-fidelity manikin, and structured debriefings.
• A one-group pretest/posttest design was used, with 32 novice ICU nurses participating.
• Outcomes including ventilator alarm knowledge, perceived clinical competency, and learning self-efficacy were assessed before and after the training.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in all assessed outcomes post-training.
• Ventilator alarm knowledge increased significantly (Z = -3.69, p < .001, r = 0.66).
• Perceived clinical competency (Z = -4.53, p < .001, r = 0.80) and learning self-efficacy (Z = -4.51, p < .001, r = 0.79) also showed significant gains. Participant satisfaction was high, averaging 9.6 ± 0.7 out of 10.

Conclusions:

• The RSVAM program, with its concise and repetitive structure, effectively improved ventilator alarm competence in novice ICU nurses.
• The training yielded substantial and clinically meaningful gains in essential skills.
• Further research, including multicenter randomized trials with diverse simulation cases, is recommended to validate and expand these findings.