Baccalaureate nursing students' lived experience of high-fidelity pediatric simulation: a hermeneutic phenomenological study

Abstract

Changes in nursing educational programs have led to the incorporation of high-fidelity simulation (HFS) into clinical teaching, yet little is known about students‟ experiences with this teaching-learning modality. Therefore, this hermeneutic phenomenological study was conducted to examine the lived experience of HFS for undergraduate nursing students in the context of pediatric nursing care. In-depth interviews were carried out with 12 students and were analyzed for themes using the approach of van Manen (1998). The essence of the experience is that it was eye-opening for the students. It was eye-opening in two ways. It was a surprisingly realistic nursing experience as reflected in the following themes: perceiving the manikin as a real patient, saving my patient‟s life, feeling like a real nurse, and feeling relief after mounting stress. It was a surprisingly valuable learning experience as reflected in the following themes: increased awareness of the art and science of nursing, increased recognition of the importance of teamwork, feeling more prepared for clinical practice, and wanting more simulation experiences. The findings from this study can be used to inform nursing education.