The Effect of Standardised Patient Simulation in Nursing Education

With the coronavirus outbreak, the experience of nursing students with personal protective equipment is one of the issues of interest. The competence of nursing students is important in terms of the fact that outbreaks will persist in the future. In this study, the effect of standardised patient method in training of isolated patient care in terms of knowledge, skills and satisfaction of nursing students was investigated. A experimental design was employed in this study, involving a total of 80 nursing university students, with 40 participants in the experimental group and 40 in the control group. In the study, pre-test-post-test knowledge exam, isolated patient care skills and training satisfaction of nursing students were evaluated. In addition to descriptive statistical methods, chi-square, fisher exact and t-tests were used in the evaluation of the data.

Material and method of the research:

Type of Study: The study was designed as randomized controlled experimental type.

Research Hypotheses Hypothesis 1 (H1): H1: The knowledge level of nursing students who received simulation training with standardised patient is higher in isolated patient care training.

Hypothesis 2 (H2): Nursing students who received simulation training with standardised patient have higher skill level in isolated patient care training.

Hypothesis 3 (H3): The satisfaction of nursing students who received simulation training with standardised patient is higher in isolated patient care training.

Population and Sample of the Study: The population of the study consisted of the senior students of a foundation university in Istanbul (N=110). The study was conducted in the spring term of the 2022-2023 academic year within the scope of the 'Nursing Principles' course. Power analysis was performed to determine the number of people to be included in the study. As a similar study in the related literature, Park \& Kim (2020) calculated the effect size for the difference in knowledge level as 0.857 in the study (28). In order to exceed the 95% value in determining the power of the study, it was determined that 62 people (df=60; t=1.671), including 31 people in groups with a significance level of 5% and an effect size of 0.857, should be reached. Considering the high power of the test and the losses in the study, a total of 80 students (40 experimental; 40 control) were reached.

Data Collection Tools: The data were collected using "The Student Information Form", "Knowledge Test on Isolated Patient Care', "Skills Assessment Form for Isolated Patient Care" and "Satisfaction Survey on Training Methods".

Analysis of Data: The data obtained in the study were analysed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) for Windows 22.0 software. Number, percentage, mean, standard deviation were used as descriptive statistical methods in the evaluation of the data. Kurtosis and Skewness values were analysed to determine whether the research variables were normally distributed. In the related literature, the results of kurtosis and skewness values of the variables between +1.5 and -1.5 (32), +2.0 and -2.0 (33) are accepted as normal distribution. It was determined that the variables were normally distributed. Differences between the rates of categorical variables in independent groups were analysed with Chi-Square and Fisher exact tests. T-test was used to compare quantitative continuous data between two independent groups. Dependent groups t-test was used for comparison of intra-group measurements.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* be between the ages 18-30
* Agreeing to participate in the study
* Being able to participate in the training and its implementation

Exclusion Criteria:

* not between the ages 18-30
* Lack of consent to participate in the study
* Absence from education and practice during the study period
* Request to leave during the study