간호대학생을 위한 코로나19 중환자간호 가상시뮬레이션 학습프로그램

Abstract

Development and effectiveness of virtual simulation learning program for nursing students focused on COVID-19 critical care Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop a virtual simulation learning program for nursing care of critically ill coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, and to verify the program’s effects on nursing students' knowledge of COVID-19 critical care nursing, clinical reasoning competence, self-directed learning ability, and immersion in learning. Method: A scenario based on situated learning theory using critically ill patients with COVID-19 was created. A virtual simulation learning program was developed according to the prototype development procedure. Through literature review and in-depth interviews with experts, learning topics, goals, content, operational methods, and evaluation tools were selected. Virtual simulation scenarios were designed accordingly, and the virtual simulation learning program was developed from storyboards. After user evaluation, it was revised, supplemented, and finalized. It was structured to facilitate learning about Level D personal protective equipment donning and doffing, patient monitoring device operation, checking ventilators, closed suctioning, pain assessment, drug injection, and nursing interventions. The effectiveness of the virtual simulation learning program was validated through a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Participants were 3rd year nursing students at a university located in G City, 28 students in the experimental group and 30 in the control group. Data were collected from July 31 to August 2, 2023 for the control group, and from August 14 to 16, 2023 for the experimental group. The experimental group accessed self-learning via a mobile application, while the control group received printed materials for self-learning. Respective intervention was provided to the experimental and control groups three times a day for 3 days-a total of nine times-after which the effects were evaluated. The collected data were analyzed with descriptive analysis, χ2-test, Fisher exact test, and independent t-test using SPSS 28.0 program. Result: Compared to the control group, the experimental group had significantly higher knowledge about COVID-19 critical care nursing (t=3.54, p<.001), clinical reasoning competence (t=3.11, p=.003), self-directed learning ability (t=2.50, p=.015), and immersion in learning (t=3.94, p=<.001) after the experiment. The experimental group also had higher learning satisfaction compared to the control group. Conclusion: The COVID-19 critical care nursing virtual simulation learning program can be a useful learning tool to improve COVID-19 critical care nursing-related knowledge, clinical reasoning competence, self-directed learning ability, and immersion in learning in nursing students. Since this learning program ensures the safety of patients and nursing students in an environment similar to clinical settings, and allows indirect experience of various nursing practices, it can be used as a supplementary resource in clinical practice to help nursing students adapt to nursing practice and improve the quality of nursing care. Key words: COVID-19; Critical care; Learning; Nursing students; Simulation training