Abstract

Nursing students' knowledge, self-efficacy and skill in measuring radial pulse in the clinical skills simulation environment: a pilot study

Author(s): Kevin Hambridge, Martyn Bradbury, Catherine Hughes, Karen Jeffery, Anita O�Connor, Ruth Endacott

Aim: This paper reports the findings of a pilot study exploring the impact of classroom based teaching and clinical skills rehearsal on pre-registration student nurses’ confidence, knowledge and competence in measuring radial pulse.

Background: Simulation in the clinical skills laboratory has been common experience for nursing students for many years, yet how it affects students’ knowledge, confidence and acquired competence in measuring vital signs, remains undetermined.

Methods: A mixed methods design was used. Thirty-four nursing students completed questionnaires designed to measure knowledge and confidence at three time points: before theory teaching, after theory teaching and after completing a clinical skills session to measure competence. A sample of these students (n = 9) participated in focus groups, to ascertain their experiences of the different learning methods.

Results: Participants showed a significant change in their knowledge Χ2 (d.f. 2) = 17.27, p < 0.01, and confidence Χ2 (d.f. 2) = 42.65, p < 0.01, over the progressive testing sessions. Confidence post skills session, was shown to be positively correlated with competence in the OSCE (rs = 0.38, p < 0.05) and previous experience (rs = 0.36, p < 0.05). Thematic analysis of focus group data identified the importance of reinforcement and rehearsal of skills in practice placement as crucial to learning.

Conclusions: Reinforcement and rehearsal of skills within the clinical skills laboratory are invaluable in raising students’ perception of confidence. The integration of theory and practice components both in the skills laboratory and during practice placement will improve future learning experiences for all nursing students.