The relationships of nursing students' satisfaction and self-confidence after a simulation-based course with their self-confidence while practicing on real patients in Vietnam

Purpose: Simulation teaching refers to the replication of real-life scenarios, enabling students to practice nursing skills and learn actively in a safe environment. It also helps students control their anxiety and fears when caring for real patients. This study investigated the relationships of Vietnamese nursing students' self-confidence in clinical practice with their satisfaction and self-confidence in simulation-based practice. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study included 182 nursing students. The data collection included 2 separate stages with 2 main questionnaires. The Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning Scale was used to measure students' satisfaction and self-confidence after learning in the simulation room. The Confidence Scale was used to measure students' self-confidence when first performing techniques on actual patients. Data were analyzed by descriptive and Pearson correlation statistics. Results: Students' satisfaction and self-confidence during the simulation course were quite high (mean +/- standard deviation [SD], 4.06 +/- 0.48 and 4.11 +/- 0.46 out of 5.0, respectively). In contrast, their confidence when first practicing on a patient was moderate (mean +/- SD, 3.19 +/- 0.62 out of 5.0). Students' satisfaction showed moderate and weak positive correlations with self-confidence in pre-clinical practice and in clinical practice (r=0.33, P<0.001 and r=0.26, P<0.001, respectively). Conclusion: Simulation has become an effective teaching strategy that can help nursing students be well-prepared for clinical placements in Vietnam. An effective nursing education strategy is needed to enhance the satisfaction and self-confidence of nursing students in simulation and then in clinical practice to help achieve professional engagement and development.