Paper
Thursday, 20 July 2006
This presentation is part of : Supporting Evidence-Based Nursing: Innovative Methods
Student Nurses' Perception of their Clinical Competence
Susan Sportsman, RN, PhD, Nursing, Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls, TX, USA and Pamela Bradshaw, MSN, PhD, Department of Nursing, United Regional Health Care System, Wichita Falls, TX, USA.
Learning Objective #1: describe themes of perceived clinical competence from focus groups of associate degree and baccalaureate nursing students before and after using high fidelity patient simulation.
Learning Objective #2: consider implications of the use of evidence-based clinical scenarios on students' perceived clinical competence.
Students’ perception of their own clinical competence influence the ease with which they integrate into the role of a registered nurse upon graduation. The extent to which the educational process can strengthen students’ perception of their own clinical ability will affect the speed with which new graduates will be able to function effectively in hospital settings.   This proposed oral or poster presentation will describe themes inherent in the perceptions of associate degree and baccalaureate nursing students regarding their own clinical competence before and after they participated in high fidelity patient simulation, using evidence-based clinical scenarios. 

First and second year baccalaureate and associate degree students completed a portion of their clinical experience in a Regional Simulation Center, supported through a partnership of both nursing programs and a regional medical center.  Students had an opportunity to respond to the evidence-based patient scenarios programmed into the patient simulators.  The goal of these clinical assignments was to encourage the critical thinking skills of the various levels of students, as well as develop appropriate psycho-motor patient care skills. 

As part of a larger quantitative study, a sample of students assigned to the simulation center were chosen to participate in focus groups, designed to elicit information about the students’ perceived clinical competence.  The proposed presentation will describe the students’ experience in the simulation center and their perceptions before and after participating in the simulation.  Recommendations for the use of evidenced-based simulations to strengthen the students’ perception of their own competence will be discussed. 

See more of Supporting Evidence-Based Nursing: Innovative Methods
See more of The 17th International Nursing Research Congress Focusing on Evidence-Based Practice (19-22 July 2006)