Effect of Electronic Interactive Simulation on Senior Bachelor of Science in Nursing Students' Critical Thinking and Clinical Judgment Skills

•Electronic interactive simulation (EIS) participants performed better in several critical thinking disposition measures.•Paper case studies may have a stifling effect on critical thinking disposition.•Findings supported EIS as a viable option to enhance clinical judgment.

BackgroundNovice nurses' lack of clinical experience is a significant concern in today's complex health care environment.MethodA randomized controlled trial compared the effects of an electronic interactive simulation (EIS) to traditional paper case study simulation on the critical thinking disposition and clinical judgment skills of senior baccalaureate nursing students.ResultsParticipants who used EIS over a 2-week period increased their scores for critical thinking disposition overall and on three subscales.ConclusionsThis study's findings supported EIS as a viable option for experiential learning to enhance clinical judgment skills in bachelor of science in nursing students.