Nursing Students' Satisfaction and Self-Confidence with Simulation-Based Learning and Its Associations with Simulation Design Characteristics and Educational Practices.

Purpose: Clinical simulation is a recent and now most used educational approach in health training programs. Its use for educational purposes in nursing education has gradually become widespread throughout the world. The aim of this study was to assess students' satisfaction and self-confidence with simulation-based learning and to identify the association of simulation design characteristics and educational practices with those outcomes.

Subjects and methods: This study utilized a correlational cross-sectional research design. Using a convenience sample, 110 nursing students were selected. Data were collected based on a questionnaire involving three instruments: the Simulation Design Scale, Educational Practices in Simulation Scale, and Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning Scale. Data were analysed using SPSS software, version 26.0. Pearson's correlation coefficients was determined to describe and test the relationships between the different variables.

Results: Nursing students were mostly satisfied with their simulation-based learning activity and felt self-confident: M=21/25 and M=33.8/40, respectively. For simulation design characteristics, only "Support"was correlated with student satisfaction (r = 0.468, p = 0.000) and it was the factor most correlated with students' self-confidence levels (r = 0.477, p = 0.000). Furthermore, there were significant correlations between all educational practices and student satisfaction/self-confidence in learning, at a level of p < 0.01. "Diverse ways of learning" was the factor most correlated with student satisfaction (r = 0.858, p = 0.000) and student self-confidence levels (r = 0.738, p = 0.000).

Conclusion: The current study's findings show that consideration of simulation design elements and the features of all educational practices is necessary for the development of a successful simulation experience and the improvement of student satisfaction and self-confidence.