Jimmy Chen and Angela Harrinanan
Centennial College - Morningside Campus, Canada
Title: Utilization of pain simulation in nursing education
Biography
Biography: Jimmy Chen and Angela Harrinanan
Abstract
Introduction: Pain management has been identified as one critical element in nursing practice and students are required to assess and manage pain appropriately. Many studies support the effectiveness of simulation as a teaching methodology; however there is a gap in measuring students’ learning outcomes in pain simulation. The purpose of this study is to assess students’ knowledge of pain assessment and management. Furthermore this research study is to explore students’ perspectives in pain simulation.
Research Question/Hypothesis: Will the pain simulation experience improve students’ knowledge of pain (a) assessment and (b) management? (c) What is the students’ perspective/experience when participating with the pain simulation?
Methods: A mixed methods approach was utilized to gain an understanding of student’s learning of pain assessment and management in simulation. A convenience sample of 159 year two BSc Nursing students were recruited for Adapted Pain Knowledge and Attitude Pre- and Post-Simulation Surveys during their scheduled simulation experience in winter 2018 semester. Additionally, 10 students participated in focus group sessions to explore nursing students’ experience in pain simulation.
Results: Descriptive and qualitative data were analyzed with five themes emerging: Developing appropriate pain assessment skills, administrating pain medication with clinical reasoning, enlightening pain management from patient’s perspective, developing clinical decision making and providing new perspective of pain management. Themes were derived from qualitative focus group findings and aligned with the pre- and post-pain knowledge and attitude survey (PPKAS) quantitative results (McCaffery and Ferrel, 2012). Key learning points that student have gained from pain simulation experience are: Communicating effectively with patient, do not underestimate patient’s pain, acquiring “solid” pain medication knowledge to provide safe patient care, “Practice makes perfect” and tailoring pain medication based on patient’s conditions.
Conclusion: The PPKAS surveys and focus group discussions reveal student’s learning perspectives and suggestions for future pain simulation to; supporting student learning in pain simulation; fostering student centered learning simulation environment and; providing faculty support in pain simulation.