Qualitative Case Study Research to Create a Nursing Discipline Practice Theory to Guide Simulation in Nursing Education

Simulation is a widespread method for teaching that has become prominent in nursing education in the past 15 years and is continually changing to meet the dynamic needs of the nursing student. Simulation is a teaching technique utilized to provide students with the opportunity to practice skills and interventions in environments that replicate realistic environments and settings where professional nurses work. Simulation has been considered the best strategy for helping students translate classroom knowledge into well-learned and understood skills. Nursing educators need guidance to correctly and successfully implement nursing simulation within their curriculum delivery methods. Nursing and nursing education are guided by discipline theories which have created a standardization of practice. Standardization has not occurred with the use of simulation; there is no common proposed nursing discipline practice theory for the use and implementation of simulation in nursing education practice. The lack of a theory within undergraduate nursing education simulation research has led to a corresponding lack of best practices to help faculty implement meaningful learning experiences for students. This qualitative illustrative case study created an undergraduate proposed nursing discipline practice theory to guide the use of simulation in nursing education by researching the interaction between nursing simulations and nursing curriculum. The participants were 12 recent registered nurse graduates and 13 experienced nursing educators for a total of 25 participants. All participants had positive experiences with simulation and identified areas for improvement. The study found that there are four essential best practices for undergraduate nursing faculty: planning, preparation, implementation and debriefing. When faculty implement the best practices identified and outlined in this theory a deeper learning experience will occur. The nursing discipline practice theory proposed in this study provides guidance for optimal implementation and standardization for faculty integrating simulation into the undergraduate nursing curriculum. Simulation in undergraduate nursing education is an area in need of continued and expanded research. Including a focus on gaining a strong understanding of the benefits of simulation and the value and best practices in realism to ensure the exceptional learning experience for undergraduate nursing students.