Nursing students’ perspectives on the operator portraying the patient in simulation

Abstract

Background: The simulation operator plays an important role in portraying the patient when using high- fidelity simulators. However, knowledge of the simulation operator’s pedagogical role in simulation scenar- ios, from the perspective of nursing students, is limited. Aim: To explore nursing students' perspectives on the simulation operator role. Methods: The study was conducted at a university in Norway. An exploratory, descriptive design with a quali- tative approach was employed. Participants comprised 34 nursing students. Data were collected via focus groups and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: One main category, creating an attuned learning path on the fly, emerged, alongside three associated subcategories: triggering student alertness, providing dynamic feedback, and mastering technical challenges. Conclusions: Findings from this study suggest that simulation-based learning experience should include the operator’s role as a critical educator role in nursing education. The efficacy hinged on the simulation opera- tor’s ability to merge and apply subject-matter expertise and pedagogical competencies to guide students further within their Zone of Proximal Development. Further research on the operator's multifaceted peda- gogical role would help develop evidence-based guidelines for this pivotal function.