Introduction of unresponsive patient simulation scenarios into an undergraduate nursing health assessment course

Background: Despite certification in basic life support, nursing students may not be proficient in performing critical assessments and interventions for unresponsive patients. Thus, a new simulation module comprising four unresponsive patient scenarios was introduced into a second-year nursing health assessment course.

Method: This cross-sectional study describes nursing student experience, knowledge, confidence, and performance of assessments and interventions for the unresponsive patient across 3 years of an undergraduate nursing program.

Results: Overall knowledge, confidence, and performance scores were similar between second-, third-, and fourth-year students (N = 239); however, performance times for many critical assessments and interventions were poor. Second-year nursing students' knowledge increased significantly following the new simulation module (p = 0.002).

Conclusion: Findings suggest a need for more repetition of basic unresponsive patient scenarios to provide mastery. It is anticipated that addition of unresponsive patient scenarios into the second year will enhance performance by the final year of the program.