Development and learning efficacy of a simulation rubric in childhood pneumonia for nursing students: A mixed methods study.

BACKGROUND: Nursing students often lack knowledge, skills, and appropriate attitudes toward chest physiotherapy, which affects the quality of care provided to children with pneumonia in clinical practice. Helping students learn about the effectiveness of simulations can improve their nursing ability. OBJECTIVES: To develop a rubric associated with the simulation of childhood pneumonia and to examine the learning efficacy of students using the rubric to assess the knowledge, skills, and attitudes in the simulation. DESIGN: A mixed methods study using a post-test survey and a descriptive qualitative analysis of students' reflective journals. SETTINGS: A paediatric simulation classroom at the University Clinical Skills Centre in Northern Taiwan. PARTICIPANTS: 214 third-year students enrolled in a four-year nursing programme. METHODS: Quantitative and qualitative data were collected after the course to obtain a comprehensive understanding of its effects. Quantitative data from the questionnaire were analysed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. RESULTS: The quantitative results showed that mean knowledge and nursing students' attitudes were moderate. Of the six sub-indices, chest percussion technique and communication with family and children had the highest mean with 3.32 ± 0.67 and 3.01 ± 0.68, respectively. The students discovered that they often focused on performing technical steps without pre-analysing patient information. Most students also indicated difficulty showing emotional caring behaviours toward patients. The qualitative results revealed that students reflected on their learning post-self-evaluation of the rubric, particularly regarding knowledge of systemic assessments, patient-centred nursing skills, and caring attitudes. CONCLUSIONS: The knowledge, skills, and attitude rubric can help students develop their learning process in a more organised manner, promote the development of their caring performances toward children, and assist them in their future clinical care practices.