The Perceived Usefulness of Digital Simulators in the Acquisition of Professional Competencies by Undergraduate Nursing Students

Abstract

Abstract— Digital virtual simulators are considered one of the most innovative teaching methods currently available for overcoming training difficulties in clinical nursing practice. This study aimed to measure the perceived usefulness of digital simulators in the acquisition of professional nursing skills among undergraduate nursing students. A group of 50 students participated in an online training module on a digital simulator over six sessions. They then responded to a survey about the training. The results indicated that 80% of the participants found learning with a digital simulator to be an enriching experience and 82% of the students felt that it could be beneficial to adopt this mode of teaching in other areas of nursing education. It is hoped that these findings will encourage teachers to adopt this approach to nursing education as a solution to the various constraints related to student placements. It may be especially useful in situations where there is a lack of supervisors or a large number of students.