Valerie M. Howard

The Impact of High Fidelity Human Simulation on Self-Efficacy of Communication Skills

Communication is a critical component of nursing education as well as a necessity in maintaining patient safety. Psychiatric nursing is a specialty that emphasizes utilization of communication skills to develop therapeutic relationships. Nursing students are frequently concerned and anxious about entering the mental health setting for their first clinical placement. High fidelity human simulation (HFHS) is one method that can be used to allow students to practice and become proficient with communication skills. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of two educational delivery methods, traditional lecture and HFHS, on senior level nursing students self-efficacy with respect to communicating with patients experiencing mental illness. The results of this study support the use of HFHS to assist in enhancing undergraduate students’ self-efficacy in communicating with patients who are experiencing mental illness.

Faculty Mentoring Programs: Reenvisioning Rather Than Reinventing the Wheel

In this review, the authors trace the evolution of mentoring programs in the United States in business and academe, provide insight on the challenges associated with the study of mentoring, and identify the limited research-based studies of faculty mentoring programs that currently inform our understanding of this professional development practice in American higher education. The findings indicate that the sophistication of research has not advanced over the past decade. However, evidence does suggest that academe should be cautious in overgeneralizing the findings of studies conducted in corporate cultures. Although mentoring is recognized to be contextual, only recently have investigators considered the impact of organizational culture on the effectiveness of corporate mentoring programs. More rigorous investigation of this practice in higher education is warranted. As more studies point to the need to foster an employment culture that supports mentoring, understanding faculty mentoring programs within the context of their academic cultures is critical.

Simulation-based team training in healthcare.

Introduction: Simulation-based team training (SBTT) in healthcare is gaining acceptance. Guidelines for appropriate use of SBTT exist, but the evidence base remains limited. Insights from other academic disciplines with sophisticated models of team working may point to opportunities to build on current frameworks applied to team training in healthcare. The purpose of this consensus statement is threefold: (1) to highlight current best practices in designing SBTT in healthcare and to identify gaps in current implementation; (2) to explore validated concepts and principles from relevant academic disciplines and industries; and (3) to identify potential high-yield areas for future research and development. Methods: We performed a selective review and critical synthesis of literature in healthcare simulation related to team learning as well as from other relevant disciplines such as psychology, business, and organizational behavior. We discuss appropriate use of SBTT and identify gaps in the literature. Results: Healthcare educators should apply rigorous curriculum development processes and generate learning opportunities that address the interrelated conceptual levels of team working by addressing learning needs at the level of the individual, the team, the organization, and the healthcare system. The interplay between these conceptual levels and their relative importance to team-based learning should be explored and described. Instructional design factors and contextual features that impact the effect of SBTT should be studied. Further development of validated assessment tools of team performance relevant to professional practice is a high priority and is essential to provide formative, summative, and diagnostic feedback and evaluation of SBTT. Standardized reporting of curriculum design and debriefing approaches, although difficult, would help move the field forward by allowing educators to characterize effective SBTT instruction. Conclusions: Much work is needed to establish a robust and defensible evidence base for SBTT. The complexity and expense of SBTT require that specific programs or interventions are appropriately designed, implemented, and evaluated. The healthcare sector needs to understand how team performance can be optimized through appropriate training methods. The specific role of simulation in team training needs to be more clearly articulated, and the training conditions that make SBTT in healthcare effective need to be better characterized.

Communication and Human Patient Simulation in Psychiatric Nursing

Communication is an integral component of nursing education and has been shown to improve health outcomes, patient compliance, and patient satisfaction. Psychiatric nursing emphasizes knowledge and utilization of communication skills. Nursing students often express anxiety and lack of confidence regarding communicating with patients diagnosed with psychiatric illnesses. Human patient simulation is one method that may be used for students to practice and become proficient with communication skills in a simulated environment. The authors of this article provide an overview of communication and psychiatric nursing as well as review of the current research related to the use of human patient simulation in nursing education.

Human patient simulators and interactive case studies: a comparative analysis of learning outcomes and student perceptions.

Although human patient simulators provide an innovative teaching method for nursing students, they are quite expensive. To investigate the value of this expenditure, a quantitative, quasi-experimental, two-group pretest and posttest design was used to compare two educational interventions: human patient simulators and interactive case studies. The sample (N = 49) consisted of students from baccalaureate, accelerated baccalaureate, and diploma nursing programs. Custom-designed Health Education Systems, Inc examinations were used to measure knowledge before and after the implementation of the two educational interventions. Students in the human patient simulation group scored significantly higher than did those in the interactive case study group on the posttest Health Education Systems, Inc examination, and no significant difference was found in student scores among the three types of nursing programs that participated in the study. Data obtained from a questionnaire administered to participants indicated that students responded favorably to the use of human patient simulators as a teaching method.

Fusion of Psychiatric and Medical High Fidelity Patient Simulation Scenarios: Effect on Nursing Student Knowledge, Retention of Knowledge, and Perception

High fidelity patient simulation (HFPS) has become an increasingly popular teaching methodology in nursing education. To date, there have not been any published studies investigating HFPS scenarios incorporating medical and psychiatric nursing content. This study utilized a quasi-experimental design to assess if HFPS improved student knowledge and retention of knowledge utilizing three parallel 30-item Elsevier HESITM Custom Exams. A convenience sample of 37 senior level nursing students participated in the study. The results of the study revealed the mean HESI test scores decreased following the simulation intervention although an analysis of variance (ANOVA) determined the difference was not statistically significant (p = .297). Although this study did not reveal improved student knowledge following the HFPS experiences, the findings did provide preliminary evidence that HFPS may improve knowledge in students who are identified as “at-risk.” Additionally, students responded favorably to the simulations and viewed them as a positive learning experience.

HSV: what you need to know to care for your pregnant patient.

The purpose of this article is to provide nurses with information about herpes simplex virus (HSV): its transmission and diagnosis, and the recommended management during pregnancy and birth. Genital herpes is one of the three most common, chronic sexually transmitted infections in the United States. Diagnosis of HSV infection is challenging, because obtaining cultures of lesions can be difficult and delays occur before accurate results are available. Serological testing can determine whether a person has had the infection, but antibodies are not present in sufficient quantities for about 6 to 12 weeks after exposure, leaving a large window of time for false-negative results. Pregnant women who have genital herpes present a complex management situation because fetal exposure to the virus during the birth process can lead to neonatal infection and high morbidity and mortality rates. Appropriate physical, psychological, and educational management of seropositive and/or symptomatic women during pregnancy, coupled with prompt diagnosis and treatment of infected newborns, offers the best hope for positive outcomes.