Nursing Students Reported More Positive Emotions about Training during COVID-19 After Using a Virtual Simulation Paired with an In-person Simulation

Jason M Harley; Elif Bilgic; Clarissa H H Lau; Andrew Gorgy; Hugo Marchand; Susanne P Lajoie; Mélanie Lavoie-Tremblay; Gerald M Fried

doi:10.1016/j.ecns.2023.04.006

Nursing Students Reported More Positive Emotions about Training during COVID-19 After Using a Virtual Simulation Paired with an In-person Simulation

Clin Simul Nurs. 2023 May 1. doi: 10.1016/j.ecns.2023.04.006. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Jason M Harley^{1

2

3

4

5}, Elif Bilgic^{1

2

6

7}, Clarissa H H Lau¹, Andrew Gorgy¹, Hugo Marchand⁸, Susanne P Lajoie⁵, Mélanie Lavoie-Tremblay^{8

9}, Gerald M Fried^{1

3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
² Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
³ Institute of Health Sciences Education, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
⁴ Steinberg Centre for Simulation and Interactive Learning, McGill University, Montreal Quebec, Canada.
⁵ Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
⁶ Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
⁷ McMaster Education Research, Innovation and Theory (MERIT) Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
⁸ Ingram School of Nursing, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
⁹ Faculty of Nursing, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Abstract

Background: Virtual simulations (VS) are educational tools that can help overcome the limitations of in-person learning highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research has illustrated that VS can support learning, but little is known about the usability of VS as a distance learning tool. Research on students' emotions about VS is also scarce, despite the influence of emotions on learning.

Methods: A quantitative longitudinal study was conducted with undergraduate nursing students. 18 students participated in a hybrid learning experience involving a virtual simulation (VS) followed by an in-person simulation. Students completed questionnaires about their emotions, perceived success, and usability and received a performance score from the VS.

Results: Nursing students reported statistically significant improvements in their emotions about completing their program after completing both VS and in-person simulations compared to their emotions before the pair of simulations. Emotions directed toward the VS were weak-to-moderate in strength, but predominantly positive. Positive emotions were positively associated with nursing students' performance. Findings replicated "okay" approaching "good" usability ratings from a recent study with key methodological differences that used the same software.

Conclusions: VS can be an emotionally positive, effective, efficient, and satisfying distance learning supplement to traditional simulations.

Keywords: Blended learning; Distance learning; Emotion; Usability; Virtual simulation.