Immediate repeat of a septic shock simulation: Nursing students’ lived experience

Abstract

Background and objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a significant increase for the need of high quality, high fidelity simulation practices to replace limited clinical experiences. Repetitive experiential practice is a training strategy used among professionals to bridge theoretical concepts to action. Furthermore, immediate repetitive experiential practice in a simulation environment is a novel approach that holds promise for learners to improve their response to critical conditions through increased faculty guided reflection. This study aimed to explore student attitudes regarding an immediate repeat of a simulation as a first step to explore training effectiveness.

Methods: Students enrolled in a complex health baccalaureate nursing course participated in an immediate repeat of a septic shock simulation. An interpretive phenomenological approach was utilized to better understand undergraduate nursing students' lived experience of learning through a repeat septic shock simulation.

Results: Three themes emerged: Appreciation of Knowledge, Awareness of Skill, and Awareness of Attitudes.

Conclusions: Learners found an immediate repeat of the simulation a valuable teaching strategy. Participants described a growing sense of differentiating priorities when managing a patient in septic shock. The immediate repeat simulation was deemed impactful to the learners’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes. This is a viable option for educators to incorporate at a time when forced to utilize simulation experiences to replace limited clinical opportunities.