Degree Name
Nursing Practice, DNP
Publication Date
6-24-2025
First Advisor
Lisa Drake
Second Advisor
Beverly Clark
Abstract
Ongoing nursing shortages and limited clinical preceptor availability have made it increasingly difficult for nursing programs to secure traditional clinical placements. In response, simulation-based learning (SBL) has gained support as an evidence-based strategy to supplement clinical education while maintaining transfer of knowledge. This quality improvement project examined whether increasing SBL hours, as a partial replacement for traditional clinical hours, impacted course pass rates in a practical nursing program. Course pass rates served as an indicator of knowledge transfer. Guided by the Jeffries Simulation Theory, the intervention emphasized learner engagement, structured simulation design, and debriefing to support clinical reasoning. A retrospective, quasi-experimental design was used, and Fisher’s Exact Test was applied to determine whether simulation exposure was associated with differences in course pass rates. The project assessed student pass/fail outcomes by comparing instructional terms 4 and 5, which implemented increased SBL hours, to retrospective data from instructional terms 1 through 3, which followed a traditional clinical model that included minimal SBL hours. Fisher’s Exact Test revealed no statistically significant association between simulation hours and student pass/fail outcomes. However, students who received increased SBL hours demonstrated course pass rates similar to those in the traditional model. These findings suggest that increased simulation hours, when applied using best practices, did not negatively affect academic performance. Although statistical significance was not observed, the consistency in student outcomes supports the academic significance of increased use of SBL as a reliable instructional method when clinical placement is limited.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Kilcrease, Debra, "Quality Improvement Project The Impact of Increased Use of High-fidelity Nursing Simulation on Transfer of Knowledge and the Correlation with Course Pass Rates" (2025). Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects. 175.
https://arch.astate.edu/dnp-projects/175
