English-as-a-second language baccalaureate prelicensure nursing students' perception of simulation experiences

Background: The changing demographic landscape in the United States and the need to achieve workforce diversity in nursing call for strategies designed to enhance graduation rates of minority nursing students. Simulation is an effective teaching-learning strategy in nursing programs; however, limited studies exist that examine the experiences of English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) nursing students in simulation environments.Purpose: To explore the lived experiences of ESL Baccalaureate Prelicensure Nursing (BSN) students in simulation environments. Method: A phenomenological design with content analysis was used. Using purposive sampling, traditional prelicensure BSN students who self-identified as ESL and have participated in simulation activities were recruited. Data were collected through one-on-one interviews. Transcribed interviews were analyzed using ATLAS.ti version 8.0. Results: Nine students participated in the study. Eight themes were identified: active engagement, adaptation strategies, mutual connectedness, peer and faculty support, linguistic difficulties, cultural challenges, feeling of being vulnerable, and pressure to perform.Conclusion: The study provides extensive insights into the simulation experiences of ESL nursing students and identifies factors that influence learning and performance among these students in simulation environments. Nursing programs need to be intentional and consistent in implementing teaching-learning strategies that will enhance the academic success of ESL nursing students.