Simulation-based learning is widely used to prepare nursing students for therapeutic communication, but transfer is often treated as if students acquire decontextualized skills in the laboratory and then apply them in clinical practice. This qualitative descriptive study explored how undergraduate nursing students experienced the transition from communicating with simulated patients to communicating with real patients during early clinical practice. Fifteen third-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing students in the United Arab Emirates who had completed the required Adult Health Nursing I simulation component and an initial medical-surgical clinical rotation participated in three face-to-face focus groups. Data were analyzed inductively using reflexive thematic analysis. The overarching interpretation was that students moved from prepared encounters in simulation to situated responsiveness in clinical practice. Three themes explained this shift: encountering unplanned patient agency, becoming accountable for one’s response, and communicating within institutional opacity. Simulation supported foundational communication practices but did not fully reproduce the emotional, relational, cultural, and organizational conditions of real patient communication. Findings suggest that simulation-to-practice transfer should be supported through progressively complex patient portrayals, explicit orientation to communication boundaries and workflows, and structured post-clinical reflection.
Israa A. M. Abuijlan, F. M. Ibrahim, Eman Abdelaziz Rashad Dabou et al.· Global Qualitative Nursing R...· 0 citations
The demand for critical care nursing is increasing globally, including in China, where nurses in intensive care units and general wards manage critically ill patients. However, no locally validated tool exists to assess their practical competency in this field.
To develop and validate a Critical Care Practical Competency Scale for Clinical Nurses in China (CCPCS-CN) based on the Knowledge–Attitude–Practice framework.
A mixed-methods sequential design was used. Phase 1 generated items via literature review, interviews, focus groups, and a Delphi survey. Phase 2 involved a cross-sectional survey of 796 nurses from tertiary hospitals for item analysis and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Phase 3 used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to validate the structure and assess reliability and validity.
The final CCPCS-CN has 22 items across three dimensions: Foundational Critical Care Skills (13 items), Proficiency in Operating Equipment (5 items), and Capability for Collaborative Emergency Response (4 items). EFA indicated a three-factor structure explaining 72.6% of variance. CFA confirmed good model fit
$$\:({\upchi\:}^2/\text{d}\text{f}=3.4,\:\text{C}\text{F}\text{I}=0.93,\:\text{T}\text{L}\text{I}=0.92,\:\text{R}\text{M}\text{S}\text{E}\text{A}=0.07)$$
. The total scale of Cronbach’s alpha was 0.94 with sub-scales being 0.93, 0.88, and 0.86 respectively. Value of Cronbach’s alpha above 0.70 indicates acceptable reliability. The composite reliability and average variance extracted were good; this demonstrates that there is good convergent validity.
The CCPCS-CN is a valid and reliable instrument for determining clinical practice competency amongst nurses working in Chinese tertiary hospitals facilities. The tool will assist in identifying educational needs, evaluating education programs, and supporting workforce planning.
Not applicable.
