Effects of Team-Based Simulation on Nursing Students' Soft Skills

Summary

Objective:

This study aims to investigate the effects of "team-based simulation" on the development of communication skills, self-awareness levels, and teamwork competencies among first-year nursing students.

Hypotheses:

H1: Team-based simulation training significantly increases the self-awareness levels of nursing students compared to individual-based training.

H2: Team-based simulation practices lead to a statistically significant improvement in students' attitudes toward teamwork, specifically regarding mutual support and team structure.

H3: Students who participate in team-based simulations demonstrate higher levels of satisfaction with learning and self-confidence compared to those in individual-based settings.

Study Description:

The research was conducted with 112 first-year nursing students using a randomized controlled and "cross-over" design. Participants were divided into two groups, experiencing both team-based and individual-based simulation applications in different sequences. Data were collected at four different time points-pre-test, intra-post-simulation, and one-month follow-up-using various scales. The study determined that team-based simulation lays the groundwork for the development of students' self-awareness, enhances teamwork skills, and increases satisfaction levels. To ensure the sustainability of these gains, it is recommended that such interactive and repetitive simulation methods be systematically integrated into nursing education curricula.

Conditions

• Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate
• Team Patient Care
• Professional Competence
• Self-Awareness
• Interprofessional Relations
• Clinical Competence

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Team-Based Simulation

The team-based simulation intervention is designed to foster collaborative clinical reasoning and interprofessional communication. Students are organized into four-member teams, with specific roles-team leader, medication administrator, primary caregiver, and documentation assistant-assigned to ensure structured task delegation. The intervention emphasizes collective decision-making, mutual support, and the utilization of team structure to navigate high-fidelity clinical scenarios. Each simulation is immediately followed by a structured, video-assisted debriefing process conducted in a group format. This session focuses on the "team process" and communication dynamics, encouraging students to analyze their interaction patterns and the impact of collective effort on patient outcomes. The intervention is delivered in an accredited nursing skill laboratory, ensuring standardized conditions across all group sessions.

BEHAVIORAL

Individual-Based Simulation

The individual-based simulation intervention focuses on the cultivation of autonomous clinical judgment and the mastery of independent psychomotor skills. Each student navigates the clinical scenarios independently, assuming full responsibility for the entire clinical process, including assessment, decision-making, and task implementation, without the benefit of peer collaboration. This arm requires students to independently manage time and prioritize nursing interventions within the simulation environment. The subsequent debriefing process is tailored to the individual, focusing on personalized reflection, clinical reasoning errors, and technical skill refinement. Like the team-based sessions, these activities are conducted in an accredited skill laboratory using the same clinical scenarios to ensure that the educational content remains equivalent, allowing for a precise evaluation of the teaching methodology's impact on individual performance.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Istanbul Medipol University Hospital

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

SINGLE

Model

CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-12-22

Primary Completion

2026-04-11

Completion

2026-05-20

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations