Preparing nursing students for clinical placement using synchronous role-play telesimulation: A descriptive survey study

Background: Contemporary teaching modalities in nurse education include teaching clinical skills via telesimulation. The effectiveness of this modality has not been evaluated. Objective: To evaluate undergraduate nursing students' and clinical facilitators' perceptions of student preparedness for placement when clinical skills are taught via role-play telesimulation using home equipment packs. Design: A descriptive survey study was employed to measure and explore perceptions using Likert scales and open-structured questions delivered via an anonymous online survey. Setting: Clinical placement after undertaking preparation via role-play telesimulation for students at an Australian university. Participants: Data were collected from 180 undergraduate nursing students and 22 clinical facilitators. Methods: Quantitative data were analysed using statistical analysis software, SPPS. Open ended responses to survey questions were analysed through the application of Elo and Kyngas (2008) three phases of content analysis. Results: Seventy-eight percent of students felt prepared for placement, and 86 % of clinical facilitators believed that students were adequately prepared. Three major categories were identified from students' responses: sense of community, learning logistics, and sense of comfort. Three categories emerged from clinical facilitators' responses: nervous and anxious, confidence and preparedness. Conclusions: Findings from this study suggest that role-play telesimulation with home equipment packs is a viable, achievable, sustainable and effective modality for teaching hands-on practical skills to prepare undergraduate nursing students for industry placement.