Simulation, Video Reflection and Standardized Patient Actors to Enhance Communication Skills in Undergraduate Nursing Students

Purpose:  

The goal of this presentation is to share the development process and results of a research study completed with undergraduate nursing students participating in simulations with standardized patient actors. In this research study, different methods of debriefing and reflection practices were implemented to determine if the simulations had an impact on their communication skills overtime and whether reflection practices affected those scores. 

Methods:

The purpose of the research study is to conduct a randomized controlled trial of undergraduate students completing a series of four maternal child simulations.  The students were randomized into the control group, where the students do not view a video recording of their simulations; and the intervention group where students view a video recording of their simulations.  Both groups of students will use a validated tool, Macy’s Communication Scale, to rate their communication skills after each simulation.  The standardized patients will also rate the students on the same Communication Scale. Data analysis includes changes in students’ performance over the four simulations; correlation between students ratings and standardized patient ratings on the Macy’s Communication Scale.  Comparisons on both of these measures will be compared between the intervention and control groups to identify the impact of viewing video recordings of simulations on changes in communication skills.

Results:

Full collection of the data will be complete in May 2016 and the results will be available for this presentation. We have heard very promising feedback regarding students' perceptions of their simulation experiences. They have felt that this has been a very valuable experience to receive individual feedback on their communication styles. 

Conclusion:

At the core of all professional nurse’s practice is the ability to communicate effectively with the patient and family.  These communication skills must be based on the patient centered mental model which puts the patient and family at the center of collaborative decision making (Cronenwett et al, 2007).  Communicating therapeutically is a skill that takes practice, reflection and feedback to develop (Webster, 2013). Simulation is an educational technique that has been used to provide effective, consistent, replicable, and purposeful training for undergraduate nursing students (Hayden et al., 2014). Reflective practice assists the student in knowledge attainment and the development of clinical reasoning skills (Tanner, 2006) and critical thinking (Naber & Wyatt, 2014). Reviewing video recording of simulations followed by reflection exercise has demonstrated mixed effectiveness in improved outcomes (Sawyer et al., 2012), but may have a role in knowledge retention and an accelerated rate of skill implementation (Chronister & Brown, 2012).  This research will help contribute to the body of knowledge on how to conduct simulation-based education and enhance communication skills for undergraduate students. Enhanced communication skills may increase professional role transition in practice as well as enhanced patient-centered care.