Is Virtual Patient Simulation Superior to Human Patient Simulation

Abstract

Virtual and human patient simulation methods offer an effective way to increase patient safety, reduce the incidence of errors, and improve clinical decision-making skills. The study was conducted to compare the effects of virtual and human patient simulation methods on performance, simulation-based learning, anxiety, and self-confidence with clinical decision-making scores of nursing students. A quasi-experimental, stratified, randomized controlled study was conducted with third-year nursing students. The students (n = 166) were divided into experimental and control groups. The difference between the pretest-posttest scores of intragroup nursing anxiety and self-confidence with clinical decision-making and total and sub-scale scores of in-group simulation-based learning were statistically significant (P < .05). Performance scores were found to be statistically significantly high in the virtual patient simulation group (P < .001). It was determined that virtual patient simulation was superior to other methods in terms of nursing anxiety and self-confidence with clinical decision-making, simulation-based learning, and performance scores.