Human Patient Simulation Versus Written Case Studies for New Graduate Nurses in Nursing Orientation: A Pilot Study

IntroductionProfessional nurse educators in acute care are challenged to increase the level of clinical performance of new graduate nurses. There is little research on the most effective method available to facilitate this process completed the quasi-experimental pilot study.MethodThis quasi-experimental pilot study compared the clinical performance, satisfaction with orientation, and employment outcomes of two groups of new graduate nurses: one group completing human patient simulation (HPS) scenarios and one group completing written case studies on the same complex clinical cases. The stratified purposive sample included twenty new graduate nurses.ResultsThere were no differences in satisfaction with orientation or retention between the two groups. There were no differences in assessment, interventions, or communication performance between the two groups. The experimental group (HPS) performed better on safety behaviors than the control group (written case studies).ConclusionsThe pilot data on safety performance provided insights for a larger study comparing these two teaching methods.