Simulation-based Pediatric Nursing Laboratory Education

The Effects of Simulation-based Pediatric Nursing Laboratory Education on Nursing Students' Clinical Competence, Self-efficacy, and Anxiety: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study aimed to examine the effect of a simulation-based laboratory program in the pediatric nursing course on students' pediatric nursing competency levels and their levels of clinical anxiety and comfort.

Student nurses experience significant anxiety and concern in clinical practice. Particularly in the clinical application of pediatric nursing courses, students are more worried about harming children or making mistakes when calculating medication dosages. It is essential to enhance students' self-confidence in pediatric nursing, support them in acquiring competencies specific to the field, and foster their teamwork skills. Simulation, an innovative interactive method in nursing education, provides students with a realistic learning environment where they experience real-life situations through scenarios, offering opportunities to develop their cognitive, psychomotor, and behavioral knowledge and skills.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Being a third-year nursing student,
• Not having previously taken the Pediatric Nursing course,
• Not having practiced in pediatric clinics,
• Not being a graduate of a health vocational high school,
• Volunteering to participate in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Not participating in the laboratory practice,
• Not completing all forms to be used in the study,
• Withdrawing from the study at any stage,
• Working as a nurse.