Second-year undergraduate nursing students' experiences with clinical simulation training in mental health clinical practice: A focus group study.

AIM: The aim of this focus group study was to investigate second-year undergraduate nursing students' experiences with clinical simulation training as part of their clinical practice in acute mental health care. BACKGROUND: The quality of bachelor programmes in nursing has been criticised for lacking theoretical and experiential learning in the mental health modules. Novice nurses feel unprepared to care for patients with mental health challenges and graduate nurses are reported to lack the necessary knowledge and skills to manage patients with mental health issues confidently and competently. Clinical simulation training can facilitate the teaching of clinical and non-clinical skills simultaneously and is a highly suitable method within mental health care for addressing gaps in knowledge and skills in communicating with patients. Clinical simulation training may enhance nursing students' competence and thereby reduce the risk of adverse events and increase safety. However, we know little about undergraduate nursing students' experiences with clinical simulation training as an integrated part of nursing students' clinical practice in acute mental health wards. DESIGN: Explorative qualitative focus group study. METHOD: Three focus group interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide with second-year undergraduate nursing students from a university in Norway during spring 2020. In total, 14 students who had experienced clinical simulation training as part of their mental health clinical practice participated in the study. The collected data were analysed using systematic text condensation. RESULTS: Clinical simulation training as part of the clinical practice increased the students' preparedness, coping and self-awareness. Most of the participants had positive perceptions of the use of high-fidelity simulation-based learning. Furthermore, they highlighted three elements that increased the value of the training. First, the simulation felt authentic and increased their professional skills. Second, the standardised patient had clinical qualifications, which made the simulation feel authentic and close to realistic situations. Third, not having a former relationship with the person acting as the standardised patient enhanced authenticity. CONCLUSION: Clinical simulation training as part of clinical practice contributed to increasing the students' self-awareness and in-depth reflection and to broadening their nursing competence. The present study lays the groundwork for future studies on clinical simulation training in mental health clinical practice for nursing students.