Faculty Descriptions of the Student Preparation Phase in Undergraduate Nursing Simulation: A Qualitative Descriptive Study

Abstract

Simulation is being used for clinical experiences in many undergraduate nursing programs across the United States. With the widespread use of simulation, best-practices for design and implementation are important for faculty using this instructional method. The first phase, preparation, has not been investigated as thoroughly as the simulation and debriefing phases. When literature related to the student preparation phase was reviewed, a gap in the current knowledge related to the phase was identified. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe the student preparation phase of simulation in pre-licensure nursing programs in and around the Denver, Colorado area, from the perspective of nursing faculty currently teaching simulation in these programs as well as provide recommendations from the faculty for practice. The sample consisted of eight nursing faculty who volunteered to participate. Semi-structured interviews and observations were used to answer the following research questions: 1) How do faculty describe current practice in the student preparation phase of the simulation experience? 2) What are faculty perceptions of current practice in the student preparation phase of the simulation experience? 3) What are faculty recommendations for the student preparation phase of the simulation experience? 4) How do faculty currently refer to the student preparation phase of the simulation experience? 5) What term do faculty recommend to refer to the student preparation phase of the simulation experience? The results of the data analysis revealed five categories. Category 1: Student Preparation Phase describes the characteristics, elements and faculty role, Category 2: Spectrum of Preparation describes the range of preparation faculty can provide for students, Category 3: Faculty Insights describes faculty perceptions of current practice, Category 4: Learning along the Way describes the process faculty go through in learning about student preparation for simulation and Category 5: What’s in a name? describes the terminology used to refer to this phase.