Degree Name

Nursing Practice, DNP

Publication Date

2024

Upload Date

2024

First Advisor

Linda Latting

Abstract

This study examines the effectiveness of simulation-based training in enhancing empathy levels among undergraduate nursing students. A lack of empathy can negatively impact the healthcare outcomes of patients (Levett-Jones et al., 2019). Improving the empathy levels of nursing students can improve patient outcomes and impact student learning outcomes such as the student’s ability to think critically and improve communication and social skills (Chua et al., 2021; Ferri et al., 2017; Hakansson Eklund et al., 2019; Koukourikos et al., 2021). The purpose of the quality improvement project was to improve empathy levels in undergraduate associate degree nursing students and increase the quality of patient care. The aims of the project were to include simulation in the curriculum to teach empathy and determine if there was an improvement in student learning outcomes. Utilizing a high-fidelity simulation involving a manikin and actors, thirty-four undergraduate nursing students participated in a pre- and post-test study. Despite the implementation of this teaching strategy, the paired t-test analysis revealed no statistically significant improvement in empathy levels, as measured by the Jefferson Scale of Empathy for Health Professions Students. The pre-intervention result on the seven-point Jefferson Scale of Empathy for Health Professions Student survey was a mean score of 111.53 to post-intervention mean score of 109.79. These results indicate that simulation did not have a significant impact on improving nursing students’ empathy levels. These findings contribute to the ongoing discussion about the

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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