Effects of Team-Based Simulation on Nursing Students' Soft Skills

The Effect Of Team-Based Sımulatıon On Developıng Communıcatıon, Self-Awareness, And Teamwork Skılls Of Nursıng Students: A Randomızed Controlled Study

Objective:

This study aims to investigate the effects of "team-based simulation" on the development of communication skills, self-awareness levels, and teamwork competencies among first-year nursing students.

Hypotheses:

H1: Team-based simulation training significantly increases the self-awareness levels of nursing students compared to individual-based training.

H2: Team-based simulation practices lead to a statistically significant improvement in students' attitudes toward teamwork, specifically regarding mutual support and team structure.

H3: Students who participate in team-based simulations demonstrate higher levels of satisfaction with learning and self-confidence compared to those in individual-based settings.

Study Description:

The research was conducted with 112 first-year nursing students using a randomized controlled and "cross-over" design. Participants were divided into two groups, experiencing both team-based and individual-based simulation applications in different sequences. Data were collected at four different time points-pre-test, intra-post-simulation, and one-month follow-up-using various scales. The study determined that team-based simulation lays the groundwork for the development of students' self-awareness, enhances teamwork skills, and increases satisfaction levels. To ensure the sustainability of these gains, it is recommended that such interactive and repetitive simulation methods be systematically integrated into nursing education curricula.

This study utilizes a randomized, cross-over experimental design to evaluate the efficacy of team-based simulation versus individual-based simulation in nursing education. By employing a cross-over methodology, each participant serves as their own control, which minimizes inter-individual variability and enhances the statistical power of the analysis despite the sample size of 112 students.

The protocol involves a systematic delivery of clinical scenarios focused on fundamental nursing skills. In the team-based arm, participants are organized into groups of four, with designated roles such as team leader, medication administrator, primary caregiver, and documenter, which rotate to ensure comprehensive experience. The individual-based arm requires students to navigate the same clinical scenarios independently, focusing on autonomous decision-making and task prioritization without peer interaction.

The intervention is structured in three distinct phases:

Pre-intervention baseline assessment: Standardized measurement of participants' baseline self-awareness, communication traits, and existing teamwork perceptions.

Active simulation phase: Implementation of high-fidelity clinical simulations followed by immediate structured debriefing sessions. The debriefing component is grounded in reflective practice models to facilitate the transition of experiential learning into clinical competence.

Washout and cross-over period: A predetermined temporal interval to mitigate potential carry-over effects before participants switch experimental arms.

Data collection utilizes multi-dimensional psychometric instruments administered at four specific intervals: baseline, immediately post-first simulation, post-second simulation (crossover point), and a one-month follow-up. This longitudinal approach is specifically designed to evaluate the retention of skill acquisition and the durability of changes in self-awareness and team-based attitudes over time. The analysis will compare mean scores across these time points using repeated-measures ANOVA to determine the interaction effect between the teaching method and time, providing insight into the sustained impact of team-based learning environments.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Must be currently enrolled as a first-year student in the Faculty of Nursing
• Must have voluntarily agreed to participate in the study and signed the informed consent form.
• Must be physically and cognitively capable of participating in the simulation-based learning activities.
• Must have completed the introductory nursing orientation program.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Students who have previously received formal simulation-based training in a clinical environment.
• Students who are unable to commit to the full duration of the crossover study protocol, including the one-month follow-up assessment.
• Students who have an active participation in another concurrent educational research study that may influence self-awareness or teamwork scores.
• Students who are unable to attend the scheduled simulation sessions due to pre-existing academic or personal obligations.