Comparing the simulation and traditional clinical environments: The challenges of observational educational research

Abstract

Traditional clinical is considered the gold standard of experiential learning. This rating assumes that the clinical experience allows students to reinforce the knowledge and skills gained in the classroom and foundational lab setting. In reality, however, each student’s experience in clinical is unique, based on the variability of the clinical setting and patient care needs. Simulation is a teaching strategy frequently utilized in nursing education. It has been shown to be an effective substitution for traditional clinical and provides a partial remedy for the randomness of the actual patient care experience. Both environments provide valuable learning experiences, but little is known about how they actually compare. A multi-site observational study was conducted to compare simulation and traditional clinical focusing on the activities occurring in each setting. This presentation will discuss the results of this study as well as discuss the challenges of conducting a multi-year, multi-site observational field research study.