Abstract
The use of the clinical simulation laboratory for self-directed learning by student nurses ensures that competent graduates are produced who can deliver optimal care to the patients, thus improving health outcomes. In clinical settings, the shift to higher acuity and increased complexity of patients requires higher levels of decision-making, further necessitating increased confidence and competency amongst student nurses and programme graduates. The benefits of self-directed simulation-based learning include the preparation of individuals for lifelong learning. Despite numerous studies on self-directed simulation-based learning, there is little that is known on underutilisation of simulation-based learning for self-directed learning by student nurses. Thus, the purpose of this study is to explore and describe the reasons for underutilisation of self-directed simulation-based learning by student nurses at a higher education institution and to make recommendations that may optimise the utilisation of self-directed simulation-based learning by student nurses. A qualitative research design that is exploratory, descriptive, and contextual in nature was used in this study.
The population was student nurses registered for Baccalaureus Curationis (BCur) in the department of nursing at the selected institution of higher learning. Participants were in their third-year level of study. A non-probability, purposive sampling method was used to draw the sample from the population. Data were collected until saturation was achieved. Data collection was conducted through online focus group interviews. A total of 4 focus groups were assembled. Collected data were analysed using Tesch’s method of qualitative data analysis.
Trustworthiness was ensured through credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability of data. Ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence and non-maleficence, and justice were adhered to throughout the study.
The findings of the study revealed that student nurses perceived time constraints as a hindrance to utilising self-directed simulation-based learning. Furthermore, booking of the clinical simulation laboratory for self-directed learning was met with challenges according to the participants and the portrayal of the clinical simulation laboratory is contradictory to the real clinical environment, thus impacting negatively on the learning experience of student nurses.
The unavailability of a clinical preceptor during self-directed learning and prioritisation of other students over student nurses in the health science faculty contributed to underutilisation of self-directed simulation learning by student nurses.
The study provided detailed, rich descriptions on the underutilisation of self-directed simulation by student nurses. Furthermore, the study provides institutions of higher learning with recommendations that may optimise the utilisation of self-directed simulation-based learning by student nurses.