Simulation: A learning pedagogy for nursing

Berragan, Elizabeth

Abstract

Simulation features strongly within the undergraduate nursing curriculum for many Universities. It provides a variety of opportunities for students as they learn and develop their clinical nursing skills (Berragan, 2011). The nurse education literature supports the use of simulation for helping students to feel more confident in performing clinical work (Leigh, 2008). However, self-confidence and self-efficacy are only part of the learning picture. Other important aspects of learning nursing include conceptual knowledge and skill development. This poster presentation considers the theoretical positioning and understanding of simulation as a learning approach for undergraduate nursing skills development. It offers an analysis of nursing simulation literature in relation to learning. My focus is to determine how learning is described and explored within the literature on simulation. My interest is also in the use of learning theory in the design and implementation of simulation for nursing students. This presentation is based on the work from part of the literature review for my current doctoral study with the University of the West of England. It has been inspired by my involvement with the facilitation and assessment of simulation within the faculty. My doctoral research explores the impact of simulation on learning for undergraduate adult nursing students. Literature reviews by Kaakinen and Arwood (2009) and Cant and Cooper (2010) and my own literature searches demonstrate that, although nascent, there is a developing body of literature, which has as its focus learning and simulation. This literature was examined in order to determine how learning was defined and understood within the field of simulation for nurse education. The learning theories and approaches explored include behaviourism, social learning theory, constructivism, adult learning theory, experiential learning, situated learning, activity theory and reflective practice. My analysis of the literature has shown that simulation offers very different ways of conceptualizing learning. A more explicit examination of theories of learning may therefore be useful in informing future practice and future research on simulation. This work highlights possibilities and raises questions in relation to learning through simulation, encouraging engagement with the conceptualization of learning through simulation. It is hoped that this will act as a catalyst to stimulate further debate in consideration of simulation as a learning pedagogy.

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: NETNEP 2012
• Start Date: Jun 17, 2012
• End Date: Jun 20, 2012
• Publication Date: Jun 1, 2012
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 7, 2019
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: simulation pedagogy
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/946659
• Publisher URL: http://www.netnep-conference.elsevier.com/conference-history.html
• Additional Information: Title of Conference or Conference Proceedings : NETNEP 2012