Effects of high-fidelity simulation on self-efficacy in undergraduate nursing education regarding family systems care and early palliative care

Objective: Family systems care and palliative care are main topics in nursing education and practice. Self-efficacy of undergraduate nursing students is strengthened by high-fidelity simulation. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of high-fidelity simulation on the self-efficacy of undergraduate nursing students regarding family systems care and early palliative care in an adult setting.Methods: A quasi-experimental study design with repeated measures was conducted. Self-Efficacy was measured using the Family Nursing Practice Scale (FNPS) and the Self-Efficacy-Subscale of the Bonner Palliativwissenstest (BPW) before the start of the theoretical family systems care and palliative care courses (t1), after completion of the courses (t2), immediately after high-fidelity simulation (t3) and 3 months after high-fidelity simulation (t4). A linear mixed model was performed to evaluate the difference of self-efficacy between the times of measurement.Results: A total of 46 undergraduate nursing students participated in the study. There were statistically significant differences regarding the FNPS between t1 and t3 (p = .0019) as well as t1 and t4 (p = .0198), and regarding the BPW between t1 and t3 (p ≤ .0001), t1 and t4 (p = .0012), as well as t2 and t3 (p = .0112). Between the other times of measurement, no statistically significant differences were found.Conclusions: High-fidelity simulation in combination with traditional learning methods can have a short- and long-term effect on undergraduate nursing students’ self-efficacy regarding family systems care and early palliative care in hospitalized adult patients.