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The effects of simulation-based pediatric nursing laboratory education on nursing students' clinical competence,
Merve Koyun1, Hatice Uzsen1, Esra Tural Buyuk1
1Pediatric Nursing Department, Health Sciences Faculty, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun 55100, Turkey.
Aim:
The primary outcome of this study was pediatric nursing competency following simulation-based laboratory practice in the pediatric nursing course, while the secondary outcomes included clinical worry and comfort, medication self-efficacy and knowledge related to vital signs assessment.
Background:
Simulation-based education provides nursing students with structured clinical experience in a safe, controlled environment. The quality and effectiveness of education are crucial to training competent professionals with theoretical knowledge and professional skills in pediatric nursing.
Design:
A pre-test and post-test, randomized controlled trial.
Methods:
The study was conducted in the nursing department of a university in northern Turkey during the 2023-2024 academic year. A total of 120 third-year nursing students were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (n = 60) or the control group (n = 60). Students in the experimental group received a two-day (16-hour) simulation-based pediatric nursing laboratory program, while the control group received a traditional laboratory education of equal duration.
Results:
No statistically significant between-group differences were observed in scale scores at baseline, post-intervention, or 2-month follow-up assessments. However, both groups demonstrated statistically significant improvements over time in several outcomes (p < 0.05), although these improvements were not consistently greater in the experimental group.
Conclusion:
Simulation-based pediatric nursing laboratory education may be associated with improved clinical competence, self-efficacy and clinical comfort and reduced worry among nursing students; however, the findings should be interpreted cautiously given the limited between-group differences.
