Abstract
A critical role of the professional nurse is to manage symptoms associated with cancer and its treatments. Currently, prelicensure nursing curricula lack adequate oncology content and associated opportunities for clinical application. Thus, many graduate nurses do not possess the requisite knowledge and skills required to effectively manage cancer-related symptoms upon entry to practice. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the effect of standardized patient simulation on nursing students’ knowledge, confidence, and competence (objective and self-perceived) related to oncology evidence-based symptom management principles, and to determine nursing students’ perceptions, satisfaction, and self-confidence with learning using standardized patient simulation in a seminar-style course. A longitudinal, one-group, convergent mixed-methods design with questionnaire variant was used. Data were collected at three time points: (T1) pre-seminar, (T2) pre-simulation, and (T3) post-simulation. A convenience sample of sixty-three senior baccalaureate nursing students in an oncology symptom management seminar participated in two standardized patient simulation scenarios. There was a significant increase in students’ knowledge, confidence, and self-perceived competence over time with a large effect size. All student groups (n = 14) demonstrated objective competence in the colorectal cancer scenario and all participants, with the exception of one student group, demonstrated objective competence in the breast cancer scenario. Participants also reported positive perceptions of, a high level of satisfaction with, and self-confidence in learning with the standardized patient simulations. Qualitative themes identified included unique focus, realism, and application of knowledge. Standardized patient simulation holds promise to enhance nursing students’ knowledge, confidence, and competence related to oncology evidence-based symptom management principles.
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Funding
This study was supported by the Villanova University Institute for Teaching and Learning (VITAL) and the Alpha Nu Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau International. Funding was awarded to Sherry A. Burrell and Jennifer G. Ross.
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Conceptualization: Sherry A. Burrell and Jennifer G. Ross. Methodology: Sherry A. Burrell, Jennifer G. Ross, and MaryAnn Heverly. Data collection: Jennifer G. Ross and Christine D’Annunzio. Formal analysis and investigation: Sherry A. Burrell, Jennifer G. Ross, and MaryAnn Heverly. Writing—original draft preparation: Sherry A. Burrell, Jennifer G. Ross, Christine D’Annunzio, and MaryAnn Heverly. Writing—review and editing: Sherry A. Burrell, Jennifer G. Ross, Christine D’Annunzio, and MaryAnn Heverly. Funding acquisition: Sherry A. Burrell and Jennifer G. Ross.
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This study was approved by the Villanova University Institutional Review Board (IRB) as Exempt as a pilot study (IRB-FY2017-81) on January 3, 2017, and as a full study (IRB-FY2018-27) on August 10, 2017. The authors certify that the pilot and full studies were performed in accordance with the ethical standards as laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
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Freely given, informed consent to participate in this study was obtained from all participants prior to data collection in both the pilot and full study.
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The IRB-approved Informed Consent Document for this study included the following statement: “results of the study will be submitted for publication and, if published, will be available to the participants and the public.” All participants signed informed consent regarding publishing their data as a part of the informed consent process for this study.
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Burrell, S.A., Ross, J.G., D’Annunzio, C. et al. Standardized Patient Simulation in an Oncology Symptom Management Seminar-Style Course: Prelicensure Nursing Student Outcomes. J Canc Educ 38, 185–192 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-021-02096-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-021-02096-x