Use and Impact of Simulation in Family Caregiver Education: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Involving family caregivers in a team-based approach has become increasingly important. Simulation-based interventions in nursing have been effective. However, the effect of simulation on family caregiver education is not widely known and is limited. Objective: This study aimed to describe the current state of simulation-based interventions in family caregivers of patients with chronic diseases. Methods: This systematic review was reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. The literature search was conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Cochrane with a medical librarian’s help. This review included quantitative, primary, peer-reviewed English-written research articles that reported outcomes for family caregivers. We focused on the data about purpose, design, setting, population, intervention characteristics, and outcomes. Before analyzing the selected studies, we evaluated the risk of bias using the revised Cochrane Risk-Of-Bias tool for randomized trials. Results: Our search yielded 9 articles that met the inclusion criteria. The majority of the 9 articles analyzed were designed in a quasi-experimental design. In addition, most studies focused on certain diseases and used low-fidelity simulators. The simulation content mainly focused on technical simulations to help care for patients. Some simulations had a positive influence on family caregivers’ knowledge, attitudes, and skills. Conclusions: We expect more simulation-based interventions for caregivers, especially those targeting diverse populations, using appropriate modalities and randomized control designs.