SIMULATION: A TEACHING STRATEGY
Mayumi AnthonyCheryl Muffley
OVERVIEW OF SIMULATION
Definition: A method of instruction whereby an artificial or
hypothetical experience that engages the learner in an activity reflecting real-life conditions but without the risk-taking consequences of an actual situation is created (Bastable, 2008, p. 635).
Description: Participants make decisions in a safe environment,
witness the consequences, and evaluate the effectiveness of their actions.
APPLICATION OF EDUCATIONAL THEORIES
Social Learning Theory Self-efficacy or social change occurs through
modeling and reinforcement learning. Educator designs a simulation to teach a skill,
pattern, or role play, and then designs additional simulations where the target behavior is reinforced.
Simulation provides planned stimuli organized in a way so as to give the participant opportunity to respond.
Experiential Learning Theory Educator designs simulation to match a student’s
needs and preferences for learning. Students are assigned to participate in a
simulation activity that matches their learning style.
APPLICATION OF SIMULATION TO TEACHING SITUATIONS Assessment Skills
Assessment of and early intervention for patients with acutely deteriorating conditions
Improved proficiency in advanced life support following simulation training compared to clinical experience alone (Wayne et al., 2005)
Hospital resuscitation teams trained in advanced life support using simulation can improve patient outcomes following cardiac arrest (Moretti et al., 2007)
Pharmacological concepts Drug recognition unit allows simulator to respond
physiologically (Rauen, 2004) Ex. Simulated morphine injection causes pupil size of
mannequin to change and the respiratory rate, heart rate, and blood pressure to decrease
Instructor can pause simulation to review assessments, detect problems, or discuss treatment
APPLICATION OF SIMULATION TO TEACHING SITUATIONS (CONT.)
Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support Techniques
Developing and demonstrating critical thinking skills Scenarios require students to use classroom
knowledge, incorporate assessment skills, and create and implement a plan
Students are given an opportunity to witness the outcome and evaluate their plan and make appropriate changes if necessary
With the use of simulation, students can implement the entire nursing process and are required to think critically
USES OF SIMULATION: APPROPRIATE SETTINGS
Aviation Transportation Nuclear Power Industry Social and Behavioral Sciences
USES OF SIMULATION: APPROPRIATE SETTINGS IN NURSING
Undergraduate Graduate Hospitals: Nursing Orientation
ADVANTAGES OF SIMULATION
Enjoyable, motivating activity Element of reality is compatible with
principles of constructivism Enhances appreciation of the more subtle
aspects of concept/principle Promotes critical thinking Allows student to practice reality in a safe
setting
LIMITATIONS OF SIMULATION
Preparation time Cost can be an issue Assessment is more complex than some
traditional teaching methods
WAYS TO ADAPT SIMULATION
Time The arc of the activity can be adjusted.
Content Some simulations offer content more appropriate
to specific ages, trainings, and professions. Expectations
Not all students appreciate the subtleties of a concept as well as others.
Rubrics can be developed to help the educator determine the level of success.
EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SIMULATION
Educators must monitor the process to ensure that students both understand the process and are benefiting from it. Helpful to develop rubric as a guide
Follow up activities may be helpful to establish a measure of comprehension.
Some prepackaged simulations include assessment suggestions.
EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SIMULATION (CONT.)
Does this simulation offer an appropriate
measure of realism for my group of students?
Are the desired instructional
outcomes well defined?
Is the level of ambiguity manageable for this
group?
Does the student
demonstrate an
understanding of
his/her role?
Are problem solving techniques in
evidence?
Is cooperation between participants
in evidence?
Has the student been able to resolve the issue
satisfactorily?
Does the student
provide
meaningful
answers to
probing
questions?
Will follow-up activities be necessary?
The following are some questions that educators may ask themselves to assess the simulation and its apparent success:
CONCLUSION
Simulation is a vehicle for translating classroom knowledge into a safe learning environment (Leigh, 2008).
Simulation allows learners to function in an environment that is as close as possible to an actual clinical situation and provides them an opportunity to “think on their feet, not in their seat” (Rauen, 2004).
Simulation promotes the use of critical and evaluative thinking.
CONCLUSION (CONT.) The main benefits of simulation can be summarized as:
experimentation in limited time, reduced analytical requirements, easily demonstrated models.
The main limitations are: simulation cannot give accurate results when the input data
are inaccurate, simulation cannot provide easy answers to complex
questions, simulation cannot solve problems by itself .
Success is usually determined by the facility and commitment of the participants.
Follow up activities may be helpful to establish a measure of comprehension.
REFERENCES Bastable, S. B. (2008). Nurse as educator (3 ed.). Sudbury,
Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett. Cameron, B. (2010). The Effectiveness of simulation in a hybrid and
online networking course. Tech Trends, 47 (5), Retrieved from http://www/spingerlink.com/index/982L41375601557X.pdf
Leigh, G. T. (2008). High-fidelity patient simulation and nursing students’ self-efficacy: A review of the literature. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, 5(1).
Moretti, M. A., Cesar, L. M., Nusbacher, A., Kern, K. B., Timerman, S., & Ramires, J. A. (2007). Advanced cardiac life support training improves long-term survival from in-hospital cardiac arrest. Resuscitation, 72, 458-465.
Rauen, C. (2004). Simulation as a teaching strategy for nursing education and orientation in cardiac surgery. Critical Care Nurse, 24 (3), 46 – 51.
Saskatoon Public Schools. (2010, March 17). Instructional strategies online. Retrieved from http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/DE/pd/instr/strats/simul/index.html
Wayne, D. B., Butter, J., Siddall, V. J., Fudala, M. J., Lindquist, L. A., & Feinglass, J. (2005). Simulation-based training of internal medicine residents in advanced cardiac life support protocols: A randomized trial. Teaching and Learning in Medicine, 17(3), 210-216.