Simulation is more than working with a mannequin: Student’s perceptions of their learning experience in a clinical simulation environment

Purpose: This paper describes undergraduate nursing students’ assessment of learning in a clinical teaching model that replaces 50% of the traditional clinical hours with high-fidelity simulation. We assessed students’ perceptions of the use of best practices in simulation teaching, and the importance assigned to each teaching practice to support learning.Methods: Longitudinal program evaluation design. We surveyed undergraduate nursing students with the Educational Practices Questionnaire (EPQ) at the mid-point (semester 2) and end of the program (semester 4). We used paired t-tests to assess changes in student EPQ scores between mid- and end-program.Results: Results showed that students’ reported greater exposure over time to clinical simulation activities that fostered active learning and high expectations; the degree to which they rated collaborative learning as important also increased.Conclusions: Students’ perceptions of the use of educational best practices and the importance of simulation in nursing education from program mid-point to end-point lends support for a clinical teaching model that uses a simulation to substitute for traditional clinical hours.