| Retention of classroom learning is foundational to clinical reasoning and adequate practice for student nurses particularly when confronted with critical clinical situations such as acute stroke. Simulation has been successful in developing clinical reasoning, however little is known if it helps retention of key classroom material. This cross-sectional interventional project examined the use of simulation to improve knowledge retention in junior-level BSN students of classroom material about stroke. The intervention group was exposed to a simulation scenario along with usual classroom lecture and reading. Retention of classroom material was assessed in intervention and control groups by pretest and repeated post-test at one and six weeks.;One hundred forty-one participants (111 traditional undergraduates and 30 TTN) were enrolled from a gerontology course taught over fall and spring semesters. Mean delayed post-test scores of the intervention group (n=76, m=15.64, SD 2.62) were significantly higher than the control group (n=65,m =14.35,SD 2.35), (t(139) =-.3054, p=.003), with a moderate effect size Cohen's d = .52, indicating the simulation experience increased retention of classroom didactic material. No significant relationships were found between mean score and gender, previous exposure to a client or family member with stroke, or previous use of simulation. There was a significant difference (p <.05) between delayed mean post-test scores between traditional (n=110) and TTN students (n=31), however due to inequality in numbers this must be interpreted with caution. The use of simulation increased retention of classroom learning in prelicensure BSN students. |
