The effect of hybrid simulated burn care training on nursing students' knowledge, skills, and empathy: A randomised controlled trial

Abstract

Background: Although improvements in burn care have increased the probability of survival in recent years, major complications are still common in burn patients. Nursing students should be competent to evaluate and intervene in the burn.Objective: To examine the effects of hybrid simulated burn care training on nursing students' knowledge, skills, and empathy.Design: In this study, a randomised experimental design was used.Participants: This study was conducted on third-year undergraduate nursing students.Methods: Students in this study were randomly assigned to one of two groups: the Hybrid Simulated Group (N = 26) and the Control Group (N = 30). Standard Education training was completed by all participants. Only the hybrid simulation group students received training on the standardised patient with wearable burn plasters. Students' knowledge of burn care was assessed using an information questionnaire immediately following the theoretical training and after training for three weeks. An Objective Structured Clinical Exam was used to assess students' abilities. The Objective Structured Clinical Exam was convened three weeks after the theoretical training. The Multidimensional Emotional Empathy Scale was used to assess the students' empathy ability level immediately following the theoretical training and three weeks later.Results: After the intervention, nursing students in the Hybrid Simulated group had improved empathy, knowledge, skills of physical assessment, and implementation of interventions and referral criteria on burn care (p < 0.05).Conclusion: Simulated burn training could be utilised to improve nursing students' empathy, knowledge, and skills of physical assessment evaluation of interventions and referral criteria on burn care.