The Effect of High-Fidelity Simulation (HFS) on First Semester Baccalaureate Nursing Students' Knowledge Acquisition/Self-Confidence

Nurse educators are challenged with preparing nurses to practice in complex health care settings. Unfortunately, nursing graduates often feel unprepared to meet the performance expectations placed on them by the health care industry, displaying a lack of self-confidence and knowledge. The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of high-fidelity simulation (HFS) as a teaching pedagogy on first semester, junior baccalaureate nursing students (N = 98) enrolled in a historically black college and university. This study, guided by Kolb’s Experimental Learning Theory (Kolb, 1984) utilized the Solomon four research design to test the effect of the independent variables; traditional didactic lecture and HFS, a focused respiratory physical assessment scenario intervention, on the dependent variables; knowledge acquisition and perceived self-confidence. Knowledge acquisition was measured using the Health Education System Incorporated specialty exam (HESI) and the Self-Confidence in Learning (SCIL) scale (National League for Nursing, 2005) was used to measure self confidence. This study utilized a Solomon four research design. ANOVA, ANCOVA, main effects tests, t-tests, Pearson correlation coefficients and Kendall’s tau were used to test four research hypotheses. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize scores from the SCIL scale and the HESI specialty exam. However, only one hypothesis was supported. Findings revealed a statistically significant, positive correlation (r = .277, p = .030) existed between knowledge acquisition and self-confidence, indicating that as the student’s self-confidence level increased, the students’ knowledge acquisition also increased. Findings from this study have relevant implications for nursing education. The use of HFS is increasing as a popular teaching and learning pedagogy and an innovative way to increase knowledge acquisition and self-confidence in students. Study findings highlight the role of HFS in improving self-confidence and knowledge in undergraduate nursing students, challenging nurse educators to consider exposing students to this teaching pedagogy earlier, rather than later, in their matriculation through the nursing program.